Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Bata.
Fashion is the way of life that many people love showing off. It is not just limited to clothes but fashion also includes footwear and other accessories that add a style statement to one’s overall personality appearance. It also reflects their attitude by giving us a glimpse of the person’s approach toward life.
Fashion in the context of footwear and apparel is considered to be a big business. We can say that fashion is one of the most attractive and fascinating industries of today. The industry is a wide platform that offers vast access to different styles and trends. Not alone apparel fashion industries but industries offering footwear have become quite successful in what they do.
Bata, the brand we have seen right from our early days, is one of the leading footwear and fashion accessory industries in the world today. The Bata Corporation was founded over 125 years ago by Antonín Baťa, Tomáš Baťa, and Anna Baťová. The company makes footwear, apparel, and other fashion accessories.
In this article, we have gathered all the relevant information about Bata’s success journey. Know all about Bata’s foundation story, its founder’s story, growth, key products, business and revenue model, and the challenges faced.
Bata – Company Highlights
Headquarters
Lausanne, Switzerland
Sector
Retail, Footwear, leather, and apparel manufacturing
The Bata Corporation, often known as Bata and Baa in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, is a multinational producer and retailer of footwear, clothing, and fashion accessories with its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. The company is of Moravian (Czech) descent. The company was founded on 24 August 1894 by three Antonín Baťa, Tomáš Baťa, and Anna Baťová.
Being a family-run company, the Bata Group has been able to offer clients all over the world the greatest shoes at the best rates, supported by unmatched service, for more than 120 years. Today, the company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and retailers of quality footwear.
Bata has a presence with more than 32,000 employees, 21 production facilities, and over 5,300 stores in more than 70 countries across the globe. The company likes to enhance the quality of life in each community where it operates. In addition to offering chances for both personal and professional growth, Bata likes to provide support to its customers, colleagues, and the community at large.
The company’s business is divided into three branches:
Bata
Bata Industrials (safety shoes)
AW Lab (sports style)
More than 20 brands and labels, including Bata, North Star, Bata 3D, Power, Bubblegummers, Weinbrenner, Sandak, Hushpuppies, Bata Comfit, CAT, Marie Claire, and Toughees, are part of Bata’s portfolio firm.
With an annual sales volume of 150 million pairs of shoes, the company is one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the world.
Bata – Industry
Bata belongs to the shoemaking and retail industry for manufacturing various shoes and other fashion-related products. According to projections, the worldwide retail analytics market would increase at a CAGR of17.7% from $5.84 billion in 2021 to $18.33 billion in 2028.
Bata – Founders and Team
The Bata Group is founded by three siblings- Antonín Baťa, Tomáš Baťa, and Anna Baťová in 1894.
Tomáš Baťa
Tomáš Baťa is the man behind the foundation of the Bata shoe company. He was a Czech entrepreneur, who was born on 3rd April 1876. It was on August 24, 1894, Tomá Baa founded the organization in Zlin with 800 Austrian guldens (about $320 today), money he inherited from his mother. The T. & A. Bata Shoe Company was founded by his sister Anna and brother Antonn Baa. Even though this business was only recently founded, the family has been creating shoes for eight generations and more than three hundred years. His new business’s rapid rise in popularity was aided by this legacy. In 1908, Tomá Baa acquired sole ownership of the business following the death of his brother Antonn Baa from sickness. Two of Tom’s younger brothers, Jan Bata and Bohus, joined the company. Due to terrible weather, he perished in a flying crash, ending his illustrious career.
Jan Antonín Baťa
Jan Antonin Bata born on March 7, 1898, was a Czecho-Brazilian shoe manufacturer from Uherské Hradit (southeastern Moravia). He was also known as Jan Antonin Bata or Jan Bata and was dubbed “The King of Shoes.” After the death of his half-brother Tomáš Baťa, Jan took over the Bata company. Even at the height of the Great Depression, he put fresh expansion strategies in place for the Bata firms. His activities included diversification into new industries such as tire manufacturing, textiles, chemicals, mines, canals, a railroad, film studios, bicycle and airplane manufacturing, the creation of department shops for the general public, and import/export. His Czech portion of the firm more than doubled in size during his tenure, reaching 38,000 employees, 2,200 stores, and 70 enterprises. In Slovakia, the Slovak economy similarly experienced exponential growth, going from 250 persons to 12,340 and 8 businesses.
Anna Baťová
Anna Baťová helped her brother Tomas with the organization. She evolved as the third and most essential companion. She not only looked after their home but also kept the books, and her ability to get along with people frequently assisted in resolving difficult issues, particularly when they were gradually accruing debt.
Anna was the first of her siblings to become independent when her relatives arranged for her to work with the family in Vienna because she was highly intelligent and did well in school. She considerably assisted her brother Tomá in Vienna, and he eventually decided to follow her.
Gunjan Shah
Gunjan Shah is presently the Chief Executive Officer of Bata India Ltd.
He is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta with a PGDM degree in general management. Prior to joining Bata as the CEO, Gunjan worked at Britannia Industries Limited for almost 15 years.
The success story of Bata/ Startup Story –
The Foundation Story
The company started with the name T. & A. Baťa Shoe Company in 1894 by Tomá Bata, his brother Antonn, and his sister Anna, whose family had been cobblers for generations, founded business in the Moravian town of Zlin, Austria-Hungary (now in the Czech Republic).
It was found later thatTomá was having financial issues in the summer of 1895. He decided to make canvas shoes instead of leather to get around these obstacles. The company hired 50 people as a result of the success of this sort of shoe. Bata erected its first steam-driven equipment four years later, ushering in a period of quick modernization. Tomas saw a newspaper story on certain American-made machinery in 1904. In order to research and comprehend the American method of mass production, he took three employees and traveled to Lynn, a shoemaking community outside of Boston. The “Baovky,” its first mass-produced item, was a working-class leather and textile shoe that stood out for its functionality, good looks, low weight, and reasonable price. Its success fueled the company’s expansion. Tomá welcomed two of his younger brothers, Jan and Bohu, into the company after Antonn’s passing in 1908. In 1909, export sales and the first sales agency were established in Germany. The Balkans and the Middle East thereafter followed.
Bata footwear was regarded as being of outstanding quality and was supplied in a greater variety of styles than ever before. The company had more than 600 full-time employees by 1912, in addition to another several hundred who worked from their homes in nearby settlements.
Growth of Bata shoes during World War I
Due to military orders, the industry had a tremendous development in 1914, the year that World War I broke out. The number of Bata’s employees increased 10 times between 1914 and 1918. In addition to other cities, the corporation opened its own stores in Zlin, Prague, Liberec, Vienna, and Plzen.
The post-war expansion of Bata Shoe Company
Consumer reaction to the price reduction was very strong. Between 1923 and 1925, a demand crisis led the majority of competitors to go out of business, but Bata was growing as the demand for its low-cost shoes soared. The Bata Shoe Company boosted output and added staff. Zlin transformed into a true factory town that spans several hectares, called “Bataville” town.
Bata integrated social welfare with the factory’s automated efficiency, and his early experiments with collectivism and profit-sharing helped to pave the way for the modernization of industrial administration. Bata Shoes also provided leisure facilities, including a theatre, library, department store, dance halls, espresso bars, a swimming pool, and an airfield, in addition to building employee housing, schools, stores, and a hospital.
The diversification of Bata
Slowly Bata also started to establish towns and factories outside of Czechoslovakia (Poland, Latvia, Romania, Switzerland, France) and with many diversifications into different industries, including tanning (1915), the energy industry (1917), agriculture (1917), forestry (1918), newspaper publishing (1918), brick manufacturing (1918), wood processing (1919), the rubber industry (1923), the construction industry (1924), railway and air transport (1924), book publishing (1926), the film industry (1927), food processing (1927), chemical production (1928), tire manufacturing (1930), insurance (1930), textile production (1931), motor transport (1930), sea transport (1932), and coal mining (1932), airplane manufacturing (1934), synthetic fiber production (1935), and river transport (1938).
The international expansion of Bata
The Bata company had 1,645 shops, 25 enterprises, and 16,560 employees at the time of Tomá’s passing. Following Tom Bata’s pre-death plans, Jan Antonin Bata grew the business more than six times its initial size throughout Czechoslovakia and the rest of the world.
In the following decade, Bata had its factories set up in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Brazil, Kenya, Canada, and the United States. In India, the plant was established in Calcutta during the 1930s.
Incorporation of Bata India Limited
Incorporated as Bata Shoe Company Pvt. Ltd. in 1931, Bata India later changed its name to Bata India Ltd. in 1973. In 1993, the Batanagar factory became the first shoe manufacturing facility in India to acquire ISO 9001 accreditation.
Bata India is the largest footwear retailer and producer in India. Bata India’s retail network covers 1375 outlets in India. All metros, mini-metros, and towns have stores, which are located in good areas. Through its urban wholesale segment, the company also manages a sizable non-retail distribution network and serves millions of customers through more than 30,000 dealers in India.
Bata’s expansion in other countries
In 1934, the company held 300 stores in North America (many of which were renamed with the “Barrett Shoes” trademark after World War II), 1,000 in Asia, and more than 4,000 in Europe. The Group had assets in the tanning, agricultural, newspaper publishing, railway, and air transport, textile manufacture, coal mining, and aviation industries in 1938 and employed slightly over 65,000 people globally, including 36% outside of Czechoslovakia.
Post World War II – Bata’s re-growth
After Bata’s factory was bombed during World War II, Thomas J. Bata, son of Tomas Bata went to Canada and served as the Vice-President of the Bata Import and Export Company of Canada, founded in 1939. Bohemian and Moravian plants were transferred to another family member, while foreign businesses were split off from the parent corporation. After the Government in Czechoslovakia confiscated Bata’s factories in Eastern Europe, it was decided in 1945 that the Bata Shoe Organization’s service headquarters would be located at Bata Development Limited in Great Britain. Thomas J. Bata, who was situated in the West, started the company’s reconstruction alongside several Czech and Slovak ex-pats. The company slowly rebuilt itself from its new base and entered new markets in Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Africa, and Latin America. Bata formed a confederation of independent entities that might be more responsive to new markets in developing countries, as opposed to structuring these new operations in a more centralized manner.
Bata in the Present Times
The corporation shut down a number of its plants in developed nations during the global economic shifts of the 1990s and concentrated on growing its retail operation. Bata left Canada gradually over time.
Today, with more than 32,000 employees, more than 5,300 shops, 21 production facilities, and a retail presence in more than 70 countries on five continents, Bata believes that it serves more than 1 million customers every day. Among the nations where Bata is well-established in India, where it has operated since 1931. There are four factories that makeup Bata India. The largest shoe manufacturer in Asia is located in Kolkata’s Batanagar Industrial Township (1930).
Bata Group is split up into five geographical areas: Africa (with a regional office in Limuru, Kenya), Asia-Pacific (with a regional office in Singapore), Latin America (with a regional office in Santiago, Chile), India (with a regional office in New Delhi), and Europe (with a regional office based in Padua, Italy).
Bata – Mission and Vision
Bata Group follows five values in which they truly believe in, these are:
Count on Me
Improving Life
Exceed Customer Expectations
Be Bold
Serve With Passion
Bata’s mission defines its passion, which reads, “We love making stand-out footwear our customers can wear to look good and feel good all day long, and always with price tags that impress them too.”
Bata – Business and Revenue Model
The Bata company’s business mostly manufactures shoes and other fashion-related accessories.
The company’s business is divided into three branches: Bata, Bata Industrials (safety shoes), and AW Lab (sports style) as mentioned earlier.
The company follows an adaptation strategy by targeting its local audience as per their taste. You can find that the company has a dedicated website for each of its regional audiences, this is because Bata likes to do business by attracting its local customers.
Talk about Bata India Ltd, the brand is a hit in the country. By offering affordable shoes in India, today, Bata has become the number one favorite shoe brand for many Indians. The brand is so popular in India, that many Indians think of it as the local brand. That’s how the company is powerful with its adaptation strategy.
Bata operates its business with many factories situated all over the world with a strong presence in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Outside Europe.
Some of the major brands under the Bata label are:
Bata/Baťa
Ambassador – classic men’s shoes
Bata 3D – urban sneakers
Bata Comfit – comfort shoes
Bata Flexible – comfort shoes
Bata Red Label – trendy shoes
Bata Industrials – work & safety
Marie Claire – women’s shoes
North Star – urban shoes
Verlon – school shoes
Teener – school shoes
Footin – school shoes
B-First – school shoes
Weinbrenner – outdoor shoes
Bubblegummers – children’s shoes
Power – athletic shoes
Bata Industrials – work & safety
Toughees – school shoes
Patapata – flip flops
Tomy Takkies – urban shoes
Bata Group commands around 35% of the market share in India. Its revenue from operations (India) was at Rs 2,387.71 crore in 2021-22, 39.75% higher than Rs 1,708.48 crore in the year-ago period.
Bata – Funding, and Investors
Bata is funded by Ventures Platform with an undisclosed amount.
Bata – Mergers, and Acquisitions
In 2014, Bata India merged its wholly-owned subsidiaries – Bata Properties Ltd and Coastal Commercial & Exim Ltd.
Bata – Advertisements and Social Media Campaigns
When it comes to advertising and attracting customers, Bata does it like a boss. The marketing strategy of Bata focuses mainly on geographics, demographics, and psychographics.
Bata India has roped in various celebrities to target its Indian audience.
In 2021, Bata launched the ‘Relaxed Workwear’ Collection for Indian Customers by featuring Kartik Aryan.
The brand had also roped in Kriti Sanon for its campaign called ‘Kick out 2020′ to mark Bata’s new collection of everyday footwear. Its Ready Again’ collections have various shoes and sandals for casual wear, festive wear, fitness, etc.
Bata – Competitors
Bata group competes with the following competitors:
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Metro Footwear.
It is kind of hard to imagine a world without giving any sort of protection to our feet. In modern times, if we think of shoes and all other footwear, there are myriad options to choose from depending upon the occasion we are attending.
It is a bit tough to determine the exact period when shoes were invented. Some historians suggest that shoes were invented some 40,000 thousand years ago. Since then, numerous styles and designs have evolved in shoes, making them one of the largest industries worldwide. The structure of shoes have been more or less remained the same, but it is the features, materials, and methods have changed over time.
Metro, the brand is that a synonym with footwear brand in India is one of the biggest multi-brand footwear chains in the country. The brand was founded by Malik Tejani in 1977, with its main office located in Mumbai.
Metro brands have showrooms that are present all over India. It is located in almost 147 cities in 30 states and Union Territories. Presently, it serves India only. Metro brands were previously known as Metro Shoes.
Here in this article, we have piled up all the relevant information related to the company Metro. You can discover about Metro’s startup story, its founders and team, what is their business strategy, the revenue growth of Metro, and the challenges faced by them.
Metro Brands, the company’s present reputation, was once called Metro Shoes. The brand, which was incorporated in 1977 by Malik Tejani, today has become one of the largest and most loved Indian footwear and accessories brands in the country.
Metro brands their specialties in different shoes, footwear accessories, shoe care, foot care, bags, and other related products. The company takes pride as it operates in 147 cities across 30 Indian states and Union Territories. As of 2021, Metro has around 644 stores in the country.
It was during 1955, that the brand was said to have opened its first-ever store in Mumbai, and since then, the brand never looked back and decided to be a one-stop shop for the footwear requirements like socks, sandals, shoe polishing liquid, and many other accessories in the footwear category. It offers shoewear for men, women, unisex, kids, and every walk of life for every type of occasion, including casual, formal, or festive events.
Metro Brands has one subsidiary named – Metmill Footwear Private Limited. The company has a joint venture – M.V. Shoe Care Private Limited.
Metro – Industry
As per statistics, the footwear industry constitutes a significant part of the leather industry. Having said that, India comes second after China as the largest global producer of footwear. It accounts for 13% of the global footwear market. It is predicted that the footwear market is going to witness a CAGR of 3.62% during 2022-2027.
Metro – Founders and Team
The founder of Metro Shoes is Malik Tejani, who laid the foundation stone for Metro shoes in 1955. Presently, Rafique Malik is the Chairman of Metro Brands Ltd.
Malik Tejani
Malik Tejani is the man behind the brand we know, Metro. He used to sell shoes in a store in Mumbai when India was under British governance. Due to the partition crisis after India got independence, Malik had to leave the store where he used to work, but decided to take over that store by taking a loan from a well-wisher, and that’s how he started the brand.
Rafique Malik
Rafique Malik is the Chairman of Metro Brands Ltd. After Malik Tejani, he took over the company by pushing his father’s idea across the country, hoping to carve a niche in India’s aspirational but inexpensive fashion footwear market. He is a Harvard graduate, under his leadership, the brand was expanded from a single store to set up in multiple locations across the entire country. He made the brand one of the leading providers of stylish footwear collections in the country today. Rafique Malik is considered the maestro of Indian footwear retail, with over 45 years of retail experience. His net worth is $2 billion as per Forbes.
Rafique Malik quotes, “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn a reputation by trying to do hard things well.”
Farah Malik Bhanji
The granddaughter of Malik Tejani runs Metro Brands Ltd. as the Managing Director. She holds 20 years of professional experience which gives her the ability to operate the brand as per today’s expectations. Before, playing a pivotal role in Metro Brands Ltd. Farah started her career in marketing, and since then, she has been developing personal relationships with other popular foreign brands like Crocs, Skechers, and Clarks.####
Metro – Startup Story
Metro, was started by Malik Tejani by taking over a store in Grant Road in Mumbai, after which the company was officially incorporated in 1977. Ever since its inception, Metro shoes have been popular among many Indians.
In 2000, Metro launched its first branded outlet called, ‘Mochi’. It is a one-stop store, where the brand sells trendy footwear needs, including shoes, purses, belts, socks, mobile cases, foot care, and shoe care items. Mochi shops are present in over 150 outlets in 50+ cities.
After nine years, Metro Brands launched the ‘Walkway’ collection, which was previously known as ‘More Shoes For Less’. This brand by Metro is a value-for-money price shoe collection. It offers affordable shoes for men, women, and kids for everyday use.
The following year, Metro launched its e-commerce platform, www.metroshoes.com. The company also made progress in targeting 100 stores. In 2015, Metro tied up with an American shoe brand called ‘Crocs.
The company reached a watershed moment when it announced plans to open over 550 outlets across India by 2020.
Metro collaborated with another brand named ‘Fitflop’ last year, with great success. The firm became a public company in 2022.
Metro – Mission and Vision
Metro’s vision speaks out loud as, “To be India’s largest specialty footwear and accessories retailer”
The brand has five values, these are:
Strong Customer Relationship and Service
Passion for Perfection
Respect and Empowerment of Individuals
Differentiation through Constant Innovation
Integrity
Metro- Name, Logo, and Tagline
Malik Tejani took inspiration from a cinema hall in Mumbai, whose name was Metro Cinema.
Recently, Metro has rolled out a new tagline, and that is “Good Vibes Only”. The other tagline of Metro, which is quite common is, “Wear What You Are”
Metro – Business Model
Metro is said to have an asset-light model that teams with third-party manufacturers. The brand operates its business through vendor engagements and long-term lease arrangements.
Its retail operations are carried out through offline mode, that is through different stores and outlets and other distributors along with online marketing channels. Its marketing policy follows the rules of the company-owned and company-operated (COCO) model through its Multi-Brand Outlets (MBOs) and other Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs).
Metro’s subsidiary company, MetMill also distributes third-party brand products and retail merchandise through franchisees.
In addition to Metro’s physical spots, it targets customers by offering an omnichannel experience via its websites, multiple marketplaces, and social media channels. Most of Metro’s brands are listed and sold on B2C and B2B marketplaces.
The following is the list of brands under Metro Brands Ltd.:
Metro
Established as a contemporary Indian footwear brand that caters to every Indian’s taste as per regional preferences. The brand has over 219 MBO format shoes all over the country
Mochi
Mochi Showroom
Mochi is Metro’s first brand under the MBO format, which was established in 2000. The brand’s main target audience is young people while also targetting their entire families. Mochi offers a wide range of footwear for the casual, formal, party, festive events, and even weddings. Metro has opened around 145 Mochi stores across India.
Walkway
Walkway was launched with the motive to offer value-for-money shoes. The shoes are affordable and cater to the entire family including men, women, and kids. Given this brand’s economical customer base, Metro also sells products in Shop-in-Shop (SIS) at large department shops.
Crocs
The globally-recognized American brand Crocs Inc. engages in selling its clog-styled shoes. The brand offers flips, sandals, wedges, sliders, and other types that meet the comfort need of an entire family. Croslite is a material that is patented, molded footwear technology that delivers each pair of shoes soft, lightweight, and odor-resistant in the great majority of Crocs shoes.
Metro has a tenure with Crocs of 18 years under its EBOs format. In the agreement, after the initial three-year term, there is automatic renewal for five subsequent three-year terms. The Crocs Agreement allows Metro to use the trademarks and other intellectual property associated with the Crocs brand for the sole purpose of retailing Crocs items in India.
FitFlop
Fitflop was introduced for all-day wearing and designed in a manner to offer both look and comfort. Metro now sells Fitflop goods under its MBOs format. It holds the exclusive rights to sell Fitflop goods in offline mode as well as online channels.
daVinchi
Davinchi is designed to offer a unique and distinctive style for the youth of today.
Cheemo
Cheemo is the handicraft brand by Metro. Cheemo offers various ethnic handbags and matching footwear, which are made by Indian artisans. The brand is launched with the purpose to bring out the best of Indian artisans that depicts exclusivity and elegant style statements.
Metro- Revenue Model
Metro Brands has reported generating a revenue of Rs 507.95 crores in 2022. In addition to this, there are reports that Metro had a 54.63% increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 100.85 crore for the third quarter that ended in December 2021.
Some reports show that Metro derives about 59% of its sales from Metro stores, followed by 33% from Mochi showrooms, 5% from Walkway, and the rest 3% from Crocs stores.
Controversy faced by Metro
Disputes are part of any business since day one. Metro brands have also faced some controversies. In 1996, Rafique Malik, Chairman of Metro Brands got caught in a controversy. He was among several businesspeople and politicians arrested by Mumbai Police on charges of theft of concessionary funds provided to cobblers.
As of now, the case is still under trial and no decision has been concluded yet.
Metro – Funding, and Investors
Newly, reports have come in that Metro Brands has issued 82.05 lakh equity shares at Rs 500 each to anchor investors, bringing the entire transaction value to Rs 410.25 crore. This means that Metro has raised a total of Rs 410.25 crore funds from anchor investors in IPO.
Some of the anchor investors include Societe Generale, Goldman Sachs, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, HDFC Life Insurance Company, SBI Life Insurance Co Ltd, Tata AIA Life Insurance Co Ltd, HDFC Mutual Fund (MF), Aditya Birla Sun Life MF, Sundaram MF, and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund.
The brand is also backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, an Indian billionaire business tycoon, stock dealer, and investor.
Metro- Mergers and Acquisitions
Metro brands have acquired Thaely Private Limited for a 5.03% stake. Thaely Private Limited is engaged in the business of marketing and selling sustainable sneaker shoes. The acquisition by Metro is done to carry forward its vision to sell sustainable footwear in the market.
Metro – Advertisements
Metro launched a campaign recently targetting millennials with the #GoodVibesOnly campaign right after their campaign #LetThereBeBright, which was launched right during the pandemic. The recent campaign delivers the new and fresh collections offered by Metro Shoes. The idea of this campaign came in to announce their latest Spring-summer collection and to reach out to a maximum audience, which is mostly the youth.
Alisha Malik, who is the President of Ecommerce & Marketing, Metro Brands Ltd. said, “#GoodVibesOnly felt like a natural next step to our #LetThereBeBright campaign, as the world looks forward to a post-pandemic era filled with hope and color. We wanted the customer to feel the vibes as soon as they see our new collection. Additionally, the groovy song and steps were our version of having fun with a great pair of shoes. We hope this positive energy resonates with every individual looking to spread Good Vibes. This is the spirit we celebrate!”
Metro – Awards and Achievements
Metro had won ‘The Best Footwear Brand with Outstanding E – retail Performance Award’ (2014).
Metro – Competitors
Metro competes with the following competitors:
Bata India
Relaxo Footwear
Campus Active
Liberty shoes
Khadim India
Mirza International Ltd.
Metro – Future Plans
With a strong retail marketing strategy, Metro now plans to strengthen its online presence to further boost its sales. The company generates about 3% from online sales and wants to grow the ratio in the coming three years.
FAQs
Is Metro an Indian Brand?
Yes, Metro is an Indian brand.
Who is the MD of Metro?
Farah Malik Bhanji is the current MD of the company
Does Metro own Mochi?
Yes, Mochi is one of the in-house brands of Metro.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Chappers.
Maharashtra has a rich and varied arts heritage. Kolhapuri chappals are one of the most popular hand-made crafts from locally sourced leathers. It has its origin in the Kolhapur town of Maharashtra. Kolhapuri chappals are made from leather using only natural ingredients. They are the best example of ethnic and traditional fashion footwear that are eco-friendly and handcrafted. Startups are taking initiatives with their innovative approach to preserving the ancient craft traditions of India and supporting Indian craftsmanship. Chappers is one of the brands that is reviving craftsmanship in India. They started with Kolhapuri chappal and now bringing a revolution in footwear fashion, especially for men.
Read the success story of Chappers, its founder, business model, growth, and the challenges it faced in the journey.
Chappers is a men-focused brand. They make footwear for women too but there are bigger issues to solve when it comes to men’s footwear. Chappers aims to solve the following problems in the Indian footwear industry:
Men are taught not to wear good colours. The industry hence makes only black, brown, and grey for them. Those who want to wear colours do not have options.
Custom footwear is often very expensive and unreliable. they want to change that. They give men brilliant quality custom footwear at the right price.
Mass customization would be the norm in a few years. They want to be the brand that revolutionizes the footwear industry.
Footwear and technology usually never go hand in hand. The Indian footwear industry is very unorganized and needs disruption. They have built India’s first virtual customization software where the customer will be able to customize the footwear on large touch screens first, check if it suits their taste, and then place an order for it. They aim to home deliver a custom pair of footwear within 72 hours.
This industry is heavily reliant on inventory. Retailers have to stock up huge number of styles only to know that only a few of them work. Later they have to offer heavy discounts on styles that don’t work. With our model, our franchises will keep only bestsellers in stock and the rest will be custom-made. Since the lead time will be just 72 hours, the customer won’t mind waiting. Plus, the price of the in-stock designs and the custom product will be the same, adding to the value.
Chappers – Founder and Team
Harshwardhan Patwardhan – Chappers Founder
Harshwardhan Patwardhan is the founder of Chapppers. He has completed his MSC in management from the University of Nottingham.
Currently, they are a team of 25 people including a sales team, operations team, accounts team, and a team of expert craftsmen. Each of them has the vision to make Chappers the best footwear brand India has ever seen.
Chappers – The Idea and Startup Story
Chappers initially started with a vision to take the Kolhapuri chappal global. Harshwardhan first came across Kolhapuri chappals on his first traditional day in college. His brother gave him ancient-looking chappals to wear under his kurta and he fell in love with them. Since then, there hasn’t been a day that he has not worn a Kolhapuri. But it had certain negatives. It was hard, slippery, and available only in the traditional brown colour. He started wondering if he could change these things. Would people in Europe/Latin America wear this chappal if he worked on the negatives? He started researching and working with different materials and that’s when Chappers was incepted.
Chappers – Name and Logo
Chappers Logo
Before the founder even started finding a name for the brand, people had started placing orders, as they found his work interesting and wanted cool-looking-new-age Kolhapuris. He had booked a stall at a flea market in Phoenix Market City, Pune and they asked by what name should they reserve the stall. That night, he chalked out close to 200 names but only 1 stuck. He took “Chapp” from “Chappals” and since I was making them comfortable and in a way westernizing the chappal, he added “ers” to it like Slipp”ers” or Loaf”ers”. He joined them together and it made a very short and sweet brand name “Chappers”. Since the name was coined by Harshwardhan, I had no issues in trademarking and copyrighting it too!
He asked one of his friends to develop a logo for the startup, based on the concept of taking Kolhapuris global. So, he actually drew a Kolhapuri and fit the font such that “C” was the heel and “S” was the thumb! And he loved it!
Chappers – Products
Chappers have now expanded into many different products. After a point the founder realized that his interest lies not only in taking the Kolhapuri global, but also the Indian craftsmanship. They want to start with revolutionizing the Indian footwear industry completely. They design great products and enable the customers to customize it in their own colors. They let them add accessories, their initials on the shoes and try to do all of this in a very reliable way and at the right price. Now, they don’t restrict themselves in terms of the nationality of the products origin or the century it was first made in. They want to build great, innovative products and want people to wear them in their own favorite colors. Imagine if a brand starts giving custom footwear at the right price and in a lead time as low as 2 days, why does the footwear industry need crores and crores of inventory?
Chappers – Business Model
Chappers’ business model is very simple. It is a very complicated model to understand for an outsider. But for the customer, it is very simple.
The customer walks into the store/Kiosk and checks their shoe size by trying on their sizing samples. He then sees two sections – RTW (ready to wear) and customization. If he wants to pick up a pair right away, they have a selection of 25-30 bestsellers in stock at all their stores. But, if he has 2-3 days at hand, he can take a look at our customization section. There, he will see numerous designs in unimaginable colours and material variety. He can touch and feel the product, select the design he likes and then move on to a big touch screen. On the touch screen, through their virtual customization platform, he will be able to change, colours, and materials, add accessories to the design that he selected, and then see how the product looks on his feet with the help of an iPad. He can then place an order. If not, he can just enter his mobile number and the shoe that he designed will be sent on WhatsApp to him for future reference. If he does place the order, the full customized product will reach his home in the next 2-3 working days.
Now that he knows his size and fit, he can even customize any design on Chappers’ website and place the order from the comfort of his home.
Their policy is to never undercharge or overcharge the customer. Whenever they develop a product, their aim is to provide the maximum value to the customer. They never are cheap nor expensive, they just aim to sell their products at the “right price”.
For example, if a customer looks at a product and feels that it’s worth Rs.5000, then that product should be priced at Rs.4999. They pay their craftsmen very well. They want to ensure both sides of the supply chain are equally happy with them. The team of craftsmen and employees should be equally happy, hence they do not believe in discount marketing. They make good quality products and expect the right price for them.
Chappers – Customer Acquisition
This bit came easy for them. They made the first 100 samples and booked a flea market stall. They sold 90 out of the 100 pairs on the first day!!
After the first flea market experience, their confidence soared. They started believing in the product even more. But, where they can go to sell every day? They couldn’t get a stall. So, they built a basic website and social media pages. First, the orders started coming in through friends and family and then through their friends and family and the circle grew. Since Pune is a small community-like city. Word of mouth spread fast. Slowly they started getting online orders too. But people always asked one question – where can they come and try the footwear? So, they opened their first store on Karve road, Pune. Their stores are very uniquely designed. Big wooden chair, embroidered carpets, and footwear handled with gloves. Not every footwear store does that. Hence, they immediately got a good response for the store too.
Chappers – Hiring Culture
In Chappers, your degree does not count. Whenever they are interviewing, they keep the CV aside and talk to the candidate. They want all their team members to be problem solvers. Good manners and extremely high morals are definitely needed if you want to be a part of the team. Patriotism is also a must if you are to qualify as a team member. People who love India and want to do something for the country have a different outlook towards life, Chappers team wants to work with such people.
Chappers – Challenges Faced
When Harshwardhan Patwardhan decided to explore the opportunity, he had no background in footwear or business in the leather industry or retail industry. He is from a transport background as his family is into people and goods transport. He had to learn from scratch.
Second, the footwear and leather industry in India is very unorganized. There are still many vendors who are not on Google. Additionally, nobody wants to work with a person who is just starting out, has no industry experience, and has no money. From vendors to employees, the founder had rejection all around.
Duplication has also been one of the major challenges. As they started becoming successful, small factories started copying their products and selling them cheaper. They had to develop a lot of IP surrounding their logo to safeguard themselves from this duplication mafia.
The INR 2000 and above market is dominated by foreign brands. Unfortunately, we think that foreign brands deserve higher MRPs and our own Indian brands don’t. People have said things like “Indian brand hai na to 1000 tak price thik hai”. Our people take pride in wearing foreign brands and undervaluing Indian brands. Building a footwear brand that does not have a single product priced under Rs.2000 is definitely a tough path under current circumstances. But they believe in India, they believe in their products and they believe in the future. This keeps them going.
Chappers – Growth
Right now, they have four stores in Pune and they deliver across India when ordered online. They have even delivered orders to 27 foreign countries. Chappers’ revenue is around 2.5 crores and they have approximately 27,000 customers to date. Their returning customer rate is 40% which is pretty high for a footwear brand.
Chappers – Funding
Fortunately, till now they have always been profitable and self-sufficient. Even during the pandemic, they had to modify a lot of systems and cost structures but they strived and remained profitable. They will start looking for funding this year as they think now their business model is well evolved and they are aware of what has worked for them and what has not. The new model can truly revolutionize the entire footwear industry and they will come out on top. If they stick to the plan and keep capturing their goals, they think they can be the Zomato of footwear.
Chappers – Competitors
Their perspective and attitude are a lot different from other local brands. They do not believe in the fact that they can sell whatever they make. They think that the customer is always aware of the latest trends and just needs some help in imagining stuff. Its job as a brand is to help its customers imagine newer things and they do so by giving them a platform to play around on. They can play around and find out what colours they like the most, and which designs suit them the most. Usually, retailers dictate what you should wear. They tell customers why they can’t wear a yellow chappal or a red shoe. They do so because they don’t have a yellow chappal or a red shoe to sell. But they can make a yellow chappal, a red shoe, and a gold sandal!! So, for the initial few years, competitors never took Chappers seriously, only when they realized that people actually want to wear these colours, did they start thinking about developing such products. They want to make competition irrelevant with their new model. Can established footwear brands give each customer a custom pair? The answer is they cannot. Because they have huge factories to feed. They love making 1 lakh black shoes. Chappers don’t.
They are currently trying out a kiosk franchise model. They have Kiosks at Pune’s Pavilion mall and at Seasons mall Magarpatta. A kiosk franchise would give a better return on investment to the franchise owner as the expenses are much lower. Plus, since the majority of the orders are custom-made, its inventory requirement automatically comes down. If there’s a Chappers Kiosk in all malls of India, they will get thousands of custom orders every day. Imagine what that will do to brands that say no to customization. They think they are in a world where people buy ready products just because there’s no choice. If they have a choice at the right price, very few people will buy ready products. They want to create an environment in which other brands want to join. This will be true change.
Chappers – Tools Used in the Company
Technology is their backbone. They prefer to use easily readily available software around difficult business systems. That somehow makes the job easy. Of course, they have developed their proprietary Virtual Customization software ourselves. That they would always keep with them as it’s one of the key features of their new business model. They are continuously working on it and want to ensure they constantly keep adding new colors, materials, and products for their customers.
Chappers – Advice from Founder
Harshwardhan Patwardhan, Founder of Chappers:
I think starting early is essential. The amount of learning I got from starting Chappers, no university or degree can give me. Instead, I would encourage the next generation to go explore the world, take a one-way ticket and go on a solo trip to advanced countries. Once we get that exposure, we always get a different perspective. We always try to improve our country that way and I think that’s the most important job any human can do. I would skip the college degrees and I would take up internships in global companies. I would be able to absorb their culture and their know-how. That would take me a million steps ahead of the game.
I would also start reading earlier. I hated reading my entire childhood, partly because I was never good at studies, but partly also because I never tried enough. I think reading takes you in minds of the people you cannot physically reach. One of the first books I completed was “Screw it lets do it” by Sir Richard Branson. Sir Richard has been my idol since then and I have truly tried living his principles. I have failed at many of them, but while trying them out, I became a better person. Books are priceless.
FAQs
When was Chappers founded?
Chappers was founded in 2014 in Pune.
Who is the owner of Chappers?
Harshwardhan Patwardhan is the founder of Chappers.
What is Chappers famous for?
Chappers is a Men-focussed Indian footwear brand popular for Kolhapuri Chappals.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by Neeman’s.
Industrialization has changed human life drastically. It has brought with it an increase in production, job opportunities, and urbanization. But, industrialization has a set of drawbacks too. It has contaminated the air, water, and soil. Dust, smoke, fumes, toxic gas emissions, use of plastic, etc has caused irreversible degradation to our environment. However, the good news is that now people are becoming more aware of the importance to conserve the environment. In India, many startups are coming up with amazing Eco-friendly product ideas. Neeman’s, is one such Hyderabad-based startup that is revolutionizing the footwear industry with shoes that are made of natural, renewable, and sustainable materials.
Neeman’s is India’s first shoe brand to use natural, renewable and sustainable fibres, including merino wool. Founded in 2017, in Hyderabad, Neeman’s envisages manufacturing shoes that are stylish, comfortable, and eco-friendly. Neeman’s is the first company in India to use Australian merino wool for its shoes.
“Neeman’s is focused on making truly comfortable footwear that looks good, feels good and is good for the planet–all day, every day” – quotes Neeman’s founder duo Taranjeet Singh Chhabra and Amar Preet Singh.
Conceptualized in America, Neeman’s shoes are leading a culture of sustainability and comfort in the footwear space in India. Working in collaboration with the world’s leading manufacturing units and suppliers, Neeman’s brings perfectly-crafted, natural fibre shoes to India.
Working on the lines of US-famed Allbirds, which is famous for the sustainable shoes and clothing it produces and sells, Neeman’s manufactures comfortable shoes that are crafted with merino wool, organic cotton, recycled PET bottles, and wood, fruit pulp, tyres, bamboo, and more.
Neeman’s Products
Currently, Neeman’s has 3 types of shoes –
Wool Classic Sneakers
Wool Joggers
Wool Loafers
Neeman’s Brand USP
Listing the USPs of Neeman’s would include –
Neeman’s shoes are designed for Style and Comfort.
Neeman’s shoes are manufactured using Natural and Renewable Merino Wool, Castor bean oil, Recycled rubber, and other earth-friendly materials.
The Merino Wool shoes made by Neeman’s can be worn in all months in India. They can be carried well in both extreme summers & extreme winters.
Neeman’s shoes are flexible and lightweight, conforming to the foot for comfort that truly lasts all day.
Neeman’s timeless designs go from work to play, day to night, casual to dressy.
Neeman’s shoes are sock-free and odor resistant, but also machine-washable if the need arises.
The company works with the best design companies, manufacturing units and spinning mills to create its ultra-soft Merino Wool fabric used in its exclusive shoes.
Neeman’s – Industry
India is the second-largest footwear producer in the world, 9% of the global annual production is done in India. In terms of consumption, India is the third-largest (around 2.1 Billion). India’s per capita consumption in terms of footwear is only 1.7 pairs per annum and is increasing rapidly and moving towards the Global Per capita of 3 pairs.
According to Assocham study, the premium footwear market in India is close to 8 to 10% of the overall footwear market of $7-8 Billion
With increasing affluent population and interest for more comfortable and designer shoes, Neeman’s plans to carve a unique position by building a Culture of Comfort and Sustainability in India. The target Market size for Neeman’s is around $600 – $650M.
Neeman’s was founded by Taranjeet Singh Chhabra and Amar Preet Singh in the year 2017.
Neeman’s Founders
Taranjeet Singh Chhabra
Taran Chhabra is the CEO of Neeman’s. He handles the complete operations of the company along with the finance department, sales department and the marketing strategy. He also manages Neeman’s collaboration with the world’s leading design companies, manufacturing units, and spinning mills to bring true nature-friendly shoes to the Indian men.
Taranjeet is a Business Analytics Leader with great experience and leadership qualities based out of New Jersey, the USA. He has helped countable pharma and life sciences giants in America pivot their current operational strategy and move towards the path of growth. He also has quality experience in Technology, Operations, and Media that enables him to establish new ventures at the epitome of industry and acquire a greater market share. Chhabra has completed his Post-Graduation in computer science in the USA. He is an expert IT leader and an avid traveller.
Amar Preet Singh
Amar Preet Singh is the Director of Operations at Neeman’s. He is a veteran in operations and leading companies with over 15 years of experience in running various start-ups. He is currently leading and overseeing a consulting firm in Hyderabad along with it.
Currently, Neeman’s has a 17-member team with great expertise in Customer Service, Digital Marketing, Logistics and Branding.
Neeman’s – Startup Story | How was Neeman’s Started?
It all started with a struggle and frustration. Taranjeet Singh was travelling to Spain and missed a train due to over-packing. He was travelling with five pairs of shoes a running shoe, a casual shoe, a lounging shoe and an extra pair just in case. And it was quite cumbersome to travel with so much luggage.
This inconvenience made Taran think about a shoe that can be used for all purposes and for all day. However, he did not find anything suitable, which led to the birth of Neeman’s.
With very little background in footwear and design, Taran travelled to different shoe manufacturing hubs around the world to learn how shoes were made. He saw that most of the shoes were made with synthetic and chemical-heavy fibres that are bad for the environment.
“The question in my mind was, We look for better, nutritional and organic food, why don’t we look for similar qualities in our shoes?” says Neeman’s owner Taran Chhabra.
Taran thought of using natural sources to make shoes. Merino wool from Australia was at the top of the list because of its amazing qualities. Merino wool is very soft compared to traditional wool and can be worn all year round. Besides, this fibre was natural and renewable as sheep produce a new fleece every year.
After two years of hard work, in October 2016, Neeman’s is born, which brings classic yet stylish shoes made with natural Merino wool, and other eco-friendly materials.
We believe you should feel good about what you wear. And at Neeman’s, we’re passionate about making sure your shoes make you feel good, look good and do good for our planet.
Neeman’s – Name, Logo and Tagline
The name Neeman’s is a combination of Taran’s mother’s name, Neelam and his father’s name, Manjeet. The tagline of Neeman’s is #ChangeTheNorm.
Neeman’s launched directly to the consumer via its website to improve the buying process and make it super easy for consumers across India to shop its shoes. Neeman’s shoes are now also available on Amazon and Flipkart, thereby making them more discoverable. It also began to focus on offline markets and has already begun introducing its products in Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle.
The pricing for all its styles ranges within the range of INR 5,500 – 5,850. They have a 7 Day Risk-Free trial wherein the customers can experience the comfort at their doorstep and if they run into any issues Neeman’s delivers a new shoe within a few days.
Neeman’s – Funding and Investors
Neeman’s raised funding worth $9.8 Million to date. The footwear brand last raised nearly $5.15 mn on June 3, 2022, in a Series B round led by Sixth Sense Ventures. The previous round was valued at around $901K, which came in on December 2, 2021, and was led by Stride Ventures.
Neeman’s investors include Anicut Angel Fund, AngelList, and a group of serial entrepreneurs.
Date
Stage
Amount
Lead Investors
June 2, 2022
Series B
$5.15 mn
Sixth Sense Ventures
December 2, 2021
Debt Financing
$901K
Stride Ventures
August 3, 2021
Series A
$2.57 mn
Sixth Sense Ventures
March 2, 2020
Pre-series A
$1 mn
Anicut Angel Fund & AngelList
Neeman’s Shareholders
The largest shares of Neeman’s are currently held by Sixth Sense Ventures, which holds around 42.94% of Neeman’s stakes. On the other hand, the Neeman’s founders, Taranjeet Singh Chhabra and Amar Preet Singh diluted their shareholding, which currently stands at 19.84% and 9.84% respectively.
Neeman’s – Advisors and Mentors
Sramana Mitra from Silicon Valley and Tushar Singh are among his mentors/advisors of Neeman’s. Sramana Mitra is the Founder and CEO of One Million by One Million (1Mby1M), which is hailed as the world’s first and only global virtual incubator/accelerator. On the other hand, Tushar Singh is among the investors of Neeman’s, who is also a member of the Neeman’s board.
Neeman’s – Growth
Neeman’s is hailed as the first sustainable footwear brand in India. Over the last two years, Neeman’s has also launched products like sustainable flips flops, slides and recycled cotton sneakers that are being sold now by the startup.
Neeman’s was beta launched in Oct 2018. At launch, it had few sizes and colours with a focus to promote the difference that the company brings to the footwear space and educate the consumers on why its products are better and revolutionary. Neeman’s used mediums like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Email Marketing during this phase.
The beta launch was successful and Neeman’s got a great response from the early backers and customers. Leveraging upon the initial traction, Neeman’s started using other mediums to reach out to customers and drive awareness of the benefits of its shoes, merino wool and how Neeman’s shoes blend in with their daily life and so on. The company used targeted campaigns to different age groups to ensure the creatives and copy blend in with their location and age group.
Some of the growth highlights of Neeman’s are:
It has achieved a 661.42% growth rate
It currently serves 275K users
Neeman’s has grown by 15X in 2021 when it comes to revenue and customer base. It dived into the new retail selling initiative by opening a store in Hyderabad.
Neeman’s has great reviews from thousands of early backers across the country. Neeman’s has a reorder rate of over 25% and a growth of over 30% month over month.
The company is working on starting a few flagship offline locations for the customers to walk in and experience the comfort crafted at Neeman’s. Besides, Neeman’s is also working towards adding more colour and variants to its shoes.
Neeman’s Financials
Neeman’s registered Rs 6.98 crore ($899.21K) in revenue in FY21, and has also posted a loss of Rs 3.32 crore ($427.63K) in the same fiscal.
Neeman’s – Startup Challenges
According to Taranjeet, the major challenge for Neeman’s was to design and develop the core set of merino wool fabrics which would create a shoe that is lightweight, durable, abrasion-resistant and holds up well with the Indian weather conditions.
During our research, our focus was to ensure our shoes hold up well with Indian Weather Conditions. As our country is so diverse and the weather is different in Bangalore and Mumbai, we have worked to choose the right composition to ensure it holds up well in all situations and conditions.
Neeman’s collaborated with Woolmark Company, a non-profit funded by Australian wool farmers for developing merino wool fabric.
Neeman’s – Awards
Neeman’s was awarded as a Gamechanger and Emerging Brand of 2018-19 in Consumer Space by Nexbrand in association with Times Now.
Neeman’s is India’s first shoe brand to use a natural, renewable and sustainable fiber in its shoes–merino wool. This Hyderabad-based startup founded in 2017 envisages manufacturing shoes that are stylish, comfortable, and eco-friendly.
Who is the founder of Neeman’s Shoes?
Mr. Taranjeet Singh Chhabra and Mr. Amar Preet Singh founded Neeman’s in 2017.
How much is Neeman’s Funding till date?
Neeman’s total funding is reported to be $9.8 Million in June 2022. Neeman’s investors include Anicut Angel Fund, AngelList and a group of serial entrepreneurs.
Who is Sramana Mitra?
Sramana Mitra from Silicon Valley, and Tushar Singh, who is one of the investors of the brand, are the mentors/advisors of Neeman’s.
Does Neeman’s bring organic shoes in India?
Yes, if you are looking for organic shoes in India, then Neeman’s is one of the best choices you can find.
The leather industry occupies a place of notability in the economy of most countries. The demand for the leather goods industry has grown with customer demands for new designs and creative fashionable leather products. Due to the huge potential for employment, growth, and exports, the demand for the leather business is growing rapidly. According to IBEF, The Indian leather industry accounts for around 12.93 % of the world’s leather production. The leather industry is spread across different segments namely tanning and finishing, footwear and footwear components, leather garments, leather goods including harness, etc. Leather business ideas can be developed as a profitable venture on a small and medium scale basis as well.
According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), India’s leather industry has attracted $ 215.21 million in foreign direct investment equity inflows from April 2000 to March 2021.
If the question on your mind is, “Is the leather business profitable?”, here are some facts about the industry to help you decide:
Footwear export accounts for a 45.82%share. India has produced 1.8 billion units and is expected to produce 3 billion units by 2024.
The tanning industry accounts for an annual production of about 3 billion sq. ft.
India is the second-largest exporter of leather garments, third-largest exporter of Saddlery & Harness in the world and 4thlargest exporter of Leather Goods in the world.
The global leather goods market size has reached USD 407.92 billion in 2021. Total leather and leather products exported from India stood at US$ 5.07 billion in 2019-20. India shares 9% of the world’s footwear production.India isthe second-largest footwear producer after China. India is also the second-largest consumer of footwear after China. This article will help you in finding out the most trending leather business opportunities.
Share of Leather Products (2020-21)
Strengths of Indian leather Sector
Own raw material source – About 3 billion sq ft of leather produced annually
Some varieties of goat/calf/sheep skins command premium position
Trained / skilled manpower at competitive wage levels
World-class institutional support for Design & Product Development, HRD and R & D.
Presence of support industries like leather chemicals and finishing auxiliaries
Presence in major markets – Long Europe experience
Strategic location in the Asian landmass
Most Profitable Leather Business Ideas
Leather Watch Band Making
The leather watchband is considered especially as a B2B product. It takes around 45-60 mins to complete each strap depending on the level of expertise and comfort of working with leather. If you care for your leather strap watch carefully, it is likely to last longer and maintain its value.
The main things you will need to start making leather watch bands are :
Leather
Cutting mat
Cutting tool
Cutting edge
Leather punch
Needle
Suitable thread
Watch hardware (buckle and spring bars)
Leather Garment Making
Fashion consumers are becoming more conscious of the environment. Consumers are rapidly aligning towards new designs and innovative leather offerings to ensure they are in sync with challenging fashion trends. Leather manufactures are trying to produce more sustainable products by prohibiting harmful dyes and chemicals.
They prefer the following facilities before starting a leather garment:
Eco-friendly material
Conservative use of resources
Reduced emission pollutants
Greater social commitment
Fair treatment of employees
Leather Bag Making
The leatherback making business can be started with little capital and from home. Once the bag has been completed it is given a coat of mustard seed oil, which helps nourish the leather, helps waterproof it, and further deepens the rich tan color. You can come up with a variety of designs that you can get into manufacturing or retailing.
Basic leatherworking tools and materials are as follows:
Ladies footwear is an essential item in women’s apparel. The variety includes slippers, sandals, sports shoes, high-heels, etc. You can start a ladies’ footwear manufacturing business from home. By finished leather as raw material, any individual can initiate this business on small scale basis.
The first thing you need to start this process is a shoe last. The leather shoe making business is involved in several activities. It is very much important to have adequate knowledge about the process and the current market trend. Today shoe factories handle the various stages of production.
The steps which are involved in shoemaking are below:
Designing
Shoe lasts
Stamping
Sewing
Assembling
Shoe room
Leather Crafts Item Making
India is famous for its leather products and the most profitable leather crafts are manufactured in West Bengal. These products are generally decorated with traditional designs and patterns. The modern-day leather craft in India has become a big industry. Items like shoes, jackets, lampshades, pouches, bags, belts, wallets, stuffed toys, book covers with decoration, ladies’ accessories, hair accessories, wall hanging, clutch or purse, pet collars, key chains, etc. made from leather are exported from India in large quantity. Different regions in India are famous for their unique style and pattern of leather products.
Leather Furniture Making
Leather furniture at a retail store may be out of your price range. With little hard work, you could have custom leather furniture in your home for a fraction of the cost. There are two options for your leather furniture from scratch and reupholstering your existing furniture. Two major segments include this industry. One is the sofa and other furniture or home décor items for domestic purposes. Another is seat or seat covers in the automobile industry. This is an excellent leather business opportunity!
Leather Promotional Product Making
Promotional products are branded with a specific logo that serves the purposes of marketing campaigns. These products are customized for the company especially and have their logo on them. Day by day marketing strategies are improved, the use of promotional products is a new thing now that is expanding rapidly. Some products which are significantly popular in the promotional gift are laptop sleeves, keychains, keyrings, leather portfolios, leather bags, leather briefcases, leather sunglasses cases, leather wallets, leather purses, etc.
Leather is always a stylish choice for designs in jewellery. Jewellery making is another business idea. As leather is already a very pretty popular material in itself and it also makes some awesome jewellery items. Leather jewellery items such as necklaces, bracelets, bangles, earrings, friendship bands, wrapping bracelets, and bangles, etc.
Leather Safety-Shoe Making
Leather is certainly the most important material involved in the production process of safety footwear. Safety shoes are shoes that are made for the safety of the individual that works in extreme conditions.
Types of leather in safety footwear:
Full-grain leather – It is part of the most outer layer of the skin, the most elastic and breathable of all.
Printed leather – It is the middle layer of the skin. It’s very sturdy but less breathable.
Nubuck leather – It is the most outer layer of the skin, slightly brushed and with moderate resistance to scratches and hits.
Suede leather – It is part of the middle layer of the skin. It has the best durability and the least water resistance.
Leather winter wear is the biggest industry. People using leather as jackets is very popular. Various winter wear options are famous in the leather business industry such as jackets, coats, leather high boots, leather pants, etc. Leather gloves have also done significant progress as a business plan. Leather gloves are famous among both men and women and come in different shapes and sizes. There are various types of gloves such as biker gloves for gripping, winter gloves, open finger gloves, closed finger gloves.
Conclusion
The Government of India had identified the Leather Sector as a Focus Sector under the ‘Make in India’ program. The Government is implementing Various Special Focus on Initiatives under the Foreign Trade Policy for the growth of the leather sector. With the past industry performance, the industry’s inherent strengths of skilled manpower, innovative technology, increasing industries, the Indian leather industry increases its production. And if you start this leather business you will get more profit also in the upcoming days the growth in the leather industry will be very much.
We hope this article helped you to get ideas on how to start a leather business in India! Remember, there are several leather-based small scale industries out there too!
Dropshipping has been a trending topic among the marketers, entrepreneurs and all people involved in business. But, what does dropshipping mean and how can it prove to be profitable to you?
For instance, you have been planning on opening up your own online business, but you do not know how and from where to start. Various questions might be popping up in your mind such as – What to sell, How to choose what to sell, how to manage investment and inventory. No issues at all! Dropshipping is the best option for you to opt.
Dropshipping is a business model which is used to launch and run your store. It is an online retail business whereby the sellers takes the orders of the products from their customers but does not keep any stocks with themselves. Instead, the order gets transferred in the form of supply chain management to the seller’s supplier who directly delivers the product to the customer.
The dropshipping market is a viable profit-making platform whereby a store doesn’t keep the stocks that it sells. Instead, a product is sold using the drop-shipping model which involves the acquisition of the item from a third party that ships it directly to the customer.
Dropshipping has become a highly successful e-commerce business model that can be started practically with zero investment.
According to e-Marketer, five countries with the highest e-commerce and dropshipping market shares in terms of revenue in 2021 are:
Country
Revenue
China
US $2,779.31 billion
Japan
US $144.08 billion
UK
US $169.02 billion
South Korea
US $120.56 billion
USA
US $843.15 billion
Furthermore, according to Statista:
In 2021, it has predicted that e-commerce sales across the globe might hit $4.2 trillion.
About 2 billion people had purchased goods online in 2020 globally.
The e-commerce retail sales are expected to reach 21.8% of the retail sales across the world by 2024.
The average revenue per shopper for the US market is about $1,804. Whereas, $1,629 for the UK market.
The gross B2B merchandise volume of e-commerce transactions is expected to hit the $10 trillion milestone by the end of 2021.
Why Should You Start Dropshipping?
Dropshipping business models are rapidly gaining popularity. It is opening up the world of e-commerce to various entrepreneurs. If you are still not convinced, here are more reasons to get into dropshipping:
The primary advantage of dropshipping is that the seller need not have storage space for inventory.
The seller is free from the pain of managing the inventory.
You have more time to spend on increasing your marketing efforts and customer interactions.
Dropshipping is a convenient method that allows you to save a lot of expenses.
The dropshipping industry is expected to reach a market valuation of $557.9 billion before 2025, registering a CAGR of 28.8%.
According to a report on dropshipping analysis-
Suppliers earn 18.33% more profit if they sell to drop shippers rather than making sales from their online stores.
Statistics depict that drop shippers earn 50% more profit than those who keep their inventory.
What is Average Monthly Profit in Dropshipping
Based on sales and reviews of the users on the top dropshipping websites, we can determine that the standard dropshipping margins range from 20% to 15%. When you buy a product at a wholesale rate, you get about 40-50% off on the retail prices of the same products you are already selling.
You can sell the products for double price or a 50% profit.
By this calculation, if you can have a minimum of 5 sales per month then you can get a profit of (5 x 50 =250) 250% profit for your investment per month. But you must keep in mind to deliver quality products for a genuine price.
However, in the beginning, it all depends on the presentation and the way you gain the trust of the visitors and how well you convert them into the customer.
Statistics say that-
The top 10% of eBay drop shippers make $7,731/month profit on an average, which is a whopping $92,772/year
A quarter of eBay drop shippers currently make more than $1,000 profit/month.
The average eBay drop shippers make a profit of $2.67 for each sales order that they fulfil.
Drop-Shipping Profit Formula
The price of the products that usually falls between $1 and $20 can generally be priced within the $20-$50 price range or more as per the most successful dropshipping websites. Whereas, having a profit margin of 40%-70% is recommended.
For instance, if you get a product of $15 from AliExpress and you sell it for $30. After cutting off the shipping, advertisement, and promotion costs, your actual profit over the product is $10.
$10 profit x 1000 orders = $10,000 per month
Products to choose for Dropshipping
If you are getting into dropshipping, you should first decide which niche of products you will be selling. It is important because your marketing, profits, and brand depends on the niche you choose. You should not choose multiple niches to start with as that may dilute your marketing efforts.
Deciding on which niche to choose is very important therefore, it involves good research to choose a suitable one. The productivity solely depends on what niche is chosen.
A steady niche is something that has a regular demand throughout the year, like clothes. Whereas, trending niche products are stuff that came into the market recently or people buy them around a particular time of the year. A good example of Trending niche in dropshipping is fidget spinner, which was trending for a while but very few buy it now.
Most of the successful dropshippers say that an evergreen niche must be preferred over a trendy niche as it proves to sustain for the long term.
We have listed below various steady, trendy, and most productive niches that have sustained success over the past few years. The most successful niches are the more consistent ones rather with the hottest trends.
Investment Needed for Dropshipping
Beginning your business with almost zero investment is the most unique feature of Dropshipping. But if you want to reach heights in no time, you can always do it by investing wisely. A nominal investment made in the promotion and advertisement of your products on various social media platforms can be a great idea.
No niche demands money as such, but spending money on promotion and advertisement of the product you wish to sell can be beneficial.
35 Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Health and Fitness
Health and fitness products for Dropshipping | Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
A healthy life leads to a happy life. Health And Fitness is an evergreen niche that focuses on products related to exercising and health.
Dropshipping Products to sell in Health and Fitness niche
Resistance bands
Yoga mats
Armbands
Fitness trackers
Jump ropes
Sport nutrition products
Rehabilitation products
Home gym equipment
Aqua Training bags
Vibration plate
Where to get Health and Fitness products for dropshipping
AliExpress
Aquatix
Deltech Fitness
National Fitness Products
Fitness systems
HealioHealth
Air purifiers
Massage Guns
Face Slimmers
Is the Health and Fitness niche still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
Fitness has been on the rise due to COVID-19. Health and fitness awareness has gone up incredibly, therefore, fitness-related items have become even more popular.
Due to the closing of gyms and public parks, a huge increase in sales of products of this niche has been witnessed.
This health and fitness niche is expected to stay profitable and grow even more throughout 2021.
Beauty and Skincare
Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping | Beauty and skincare products
Who doesn’t want to look beautiful? But the truth is, the older you get, the weaker you become. There are various products to secure your beauty without any side effects on your skin.
Beauty and Skincare are some of the most loved niches of women especially. The beauty and Skincare niche has generated nearly $35 Bn revenue during 2021, which depicts an ever-rising demand for beauty and personal care products. Various dropshipping suppliers are working in this niche.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Beauty and Skincare Niche
All Day Waterproof Mascara
Rose Quartz Facial Roller
Multipurpose Exfoliating Facial Razor
Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush
Gel Nail paint Kit
Hair accessories and wigs
Blackhead removers
Fragrances and deodorants
Herbal Cosmetics
Where to get Beauty and Skincare products for dropshipping (Topmost suppliers)
AliExpress
EPROLO
Beauty Joint
ISO Beauty
Born Pretty
Naturally Vain
Pure Source
Emerson Ecologics
FragranceNet
Is the Beauty and Skincare niche still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
Self-care was, is, and always will be important. Therefore, Beauty and Skincare are one of the evergreen niches for dropshipping. It is a profitable niche not only for 2021 but also for the times to come.
Jewelry has always been popular and always will be. Before you start the business in this niche, it’s essential to choose the most suitable suppliers.
Most drop shippers particularly operating in the jewelry niche are easily making around 20% of their gross sales or 20% of their profit. For instance, if a person says that he has earned $10,000 from their dropshipping business, it means that around $2,000 of that is profit.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Jewelry niche
Rings
Earrings
Necklace
Pendants
Personalized Jewelry
Brooches
Bangles
Couple Rings
Where to get Jewelry products for dropshipping (Topmost suppliers)
Is the Jewelry niche still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
The jewelry dropshipping business is profitable if sold in the right target market. The Jewelry and Accessories niche is among one of the top-earning niches. Its sale gets boosted even more during festive and wedding occasions.
Art and Crafts – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Are you a crafty person? If yes, opting for the Art and Craft niche for dropshipping business will prove to be a great option for the first mover entrepreneurs like you. Creativity is loved by all and you can be a part of this field in just a few steps as mentioned below:
Find top products
Learn as soon as possible from the competition
Set the right price
Expand the offerings
Use hyper-targeted ads
Ship with e-Packets
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Art and Craft Supplies niche
Easels
Paints
Brushes
Watercolors
Pastels
Pens
Paper
Where to get Art and Craft Supplies for Dropshipping
Aliexpress
Printify
Printful
Creative hub
Is Art and Craft Supplies still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
The biggest advantage of this niche is that it has a never-ending product lineup and will be profitable till the earth exists. You can make it even more profitable by setting your profit for a low price according to the product and its sale. If you are getting visitors and a good level of sales then you can lower the price and focus on the ads to earn better.
Gardening
Gardening – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Since last year, people have been spending more time in their homes and house gardens. This has given them time to introspect their lives and have realised that their busy lives have given them no time for plantation and gardening. But, now they have enough time to beautify their house, garden or plantation.
Gardening products have been an overwhelming dropshipping niche. The market is assured to grow by more than $100 billion by the end of 2021, therefore, it is a great time to get into this industry.
As per the 2018 BusinessWire Report, the home and garden dropshipping market are likely to grow by $140 billion in the next four years.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Gardening niche
Artificial plants
Ultra strength anti-leak tape
Anti-Mosquito Bracelet
Fruit Catcher Device
Groot Flower Pot
Colorful Mini Flower Pots
Solar Powered Motion Light
Garden Claw Gloves
Potato Grow Bag
Sprinkler Systems
Seed Drill
Indoor Gardening Tools
Where to Get Gardening Products for Dropshipping
AliExpress
ShopHoo
Is the Gardening niche still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
Plants should be and always will be all over the place! They are now finding their ways indoors and require their owner’s attention and care as well. Pandemic has made people realize the importance of plants and trees in their surroundings. Gardening is likely to fall under the category of the top product niches for dropshipping since 2020.
Electronic Gadgets and Accessories
Electronic-Gadgets – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
One of the most profitable and highly competitive niches is electronic gadgets and their accessories. With the advent of technology, the craze for electronic gadgets has increased. Everyone wants to comply with the current pace of technology.
The revenue generated by the electronics and its accessories niche during 2020 was more than $500 Billion which increases consistently each year. If you wish to work with suppliers of electronic gadgets and various products of this niche, the list below mentions the top dropshipping suppliers of this niche.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Electronic Gadgets and Accessories niche
Earphones
Trimmers
Home-Appliances
360-degree Cameras
T.V & Monitors
Wearables and accessories
VR Devices
Bluetooth and wireless devices
Where to Get Electronic Gadgets and Accessories for Dropshipping
NovaTech Wholesale
AULOLA (UK)
DropshipZone
DHgate
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Doba
ASI Partner
ChinaVasion
Cost Tag
MA Labs
Mega Goods
Oberlo
Is the Electronic Gadgets and Accessories niche still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
Science and technology are expanding their wings with each passing day and hence the demand for new Electronic gadgets and accessories is constantly increasing making it a profitable niche today and tomorrow as well.
Kitchen Supplies- Most Profitable Niche for Dropshipping
This niche is a blend of various expensive and cheaper products. People usually search for trusted sources and brands for expensive ones such as blenders, juicers, etc. But you can maintain a good turnover in this niche by filtering out those with cheaper prices and create a wow factor.
The kitchen Supplies niche is mentioned as one of the top niches for dropshipping in 2021.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Kitchen Supplies niche
Pop-up Toaster
Plastic Food Containers
Cookie-Cutters
Flexible Cutting Board
Salad Cutter Bowl
Folding Trash Bin
Cup Holder Hooks
Knife Set
Advanced Blender Vacuum Mixer
Microwaves & Accessories
Where to get products of Kitchen Supplies for Dropshipping
Aliexpress
Dropship Zone
DHgate
SaleHoo
Doba
Oberlo
Is the product of Kitchen Supplies still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
The kitchen niche is a great niche to dive into, as it is one of the most popular and profitable dropshipping niches even before the pandemic. The kitchen Supplies niche is always in demand, always open to sale and helps drop shippers make the most profit out of it.
Even in the pandemic, when every place faced lockdown, the kitchen was the only place that was never closed, and never will be.
Home Decor- Most Profitable Niche for Dropshipping
Pandemic has forced all of us to be locked inside our homes. We have now a lot of time to give to our homes.
The messy place fills up our minds with stress. Home décor and home organization is one of the best ways to cope up with stress. All things must be organized around us if we want to be peaceful and calm. Therefore, boxes, bins and shelf organizers are in higher demand now.
Home décor and Home organization niche has seen a sweeping boom in its sales. Home décor products have been one of the most rising dropshipping niches. The market is expected to grow by more than $100 billion in 2021, and it’s a brilliant time to be a part of this niche right now.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Home Decor and Home Organization niche
Wall Stickers
Canvas
Storage Boxes
Foldable organizers
Kitchen organizers
Office Tables
Educational equipment
Where to get Home Decor and Home Organization products for Dropshipping
Are Home Decor and Home Organization niches still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
The pandemic has brought a drastic change in our lives. Home has become our workplace, restaurant, school, and much more. Therefore, it has become necessary to organize our houses even more. Home design preferences have been changing and people are trying to make their homes even more comfortable.
Clothing
Clothing- Most Profitable Niche for Dropshipping
Clothing is an extremely competitive niche, but highly flourishing as well. You simply need to keep pace with the trend. Fashion in clothing keeps changing with time and so do the people’s demands.
The clothing niche has unparalleled upside potential, women and men’s clothing and accessories have taken the core stage in 2021. There are plenty of dropshipping suppliers that offer a wide range of fashion in clothing and accessories.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Fashion niche
Tops and T-shirts
Denim
Dresses
Workout Clothes
Coats and Blazers
Pants and Trousers
Suits and Kurties
Leggings and Plazo
Capries and lowers
Where to get products in Fashion for Dropshipping
A4 Apparel
BrandsGateway
B & F System Inc.
SaleHoo
Printful
Tmart
AliExpress
Doba
Oberlo
Wholesale2b
Is Fashion Still Profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
Men and women both love fashion. As a result, the worldwide revenue for fashion is expected to grow to $713 billion by 2022, so there’s a high rate of generating profits.
Kids Stationery
Kids stationary- Most Profitable Niche for Dropshipping
Children are the future of the nation. It is the main aim of every parent that their kids grow up to be smart and successful. The journey begins in childhood with small steps.During this pandemic times when children are locked inside their homes, you can help them to develope their brains by providing them the products that fall under the niche of kids’ stationery.
The kids stationery niche has seen an incredible rise in 2020-2021 due to the popularization of online classes and the online education system.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Kids Stationery niche
Educational Toys
Kids Stationary
Children’s Desks
Craft Toys
Puzzles
Math Games
Where to get Kids Stationery Products for Dropshipping
Tmart
SaleHoo
AliExpress
Oberlo
Brybelly
Is Kids Stationary Niche still profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
During this difficult time, when adults and children are stuck together in their homes, educational toys prove to be the best way to entertain kids and keep them busy. It helps them to learn with fun. There has been an unexpected rise in this niche and is still profitable.
Lifestyle Products | Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Do you also wish to bring value to your customers? Think about products that can make their life easier. Most drop shippers earn a six-figure income simply by providing them items that would ease their lives.
People are prone to updating their lifestyle and thus, prefer buying smart products offered under the lifestyle niche. The posture correctors market alone is expected to reach $1.741,7 million by 2026.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Lifestyle niche
Smart home devices
Indoor gardening tools
Posture correctors
Smart Mirror
Floor Pillows
Smart kitchen devices
Where to get Lifestyle Products for Dropshipping
ETSY
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Is the Lifestyle niche still profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
Uniqueness is always welcomed. Get your customers something that no one does. Promote those attractive products with enticing advertisements on various social media platforms. That’s how this niche will prove to be incredibly profitable not only in 2021 but also in years to come.
Mother and Kids
Kids Products | Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Babies are the actual winners of 2020. The stats also depict that a rise of 6.2% is likely to happen in the market value of baby personal care market size between now and 2022.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Mother and Kids niche
Baby Clothes
Maternity leggings
Baby bouncer
Baby toys
Babycare
Baby Feeding
Safety Equipment
Where to get Products of Mother and Kids for Dropshipping
Aliexpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Is Mother and Kids Niche Still Profitable for dropshipping in 2021?
The birth of kids create the continuous request for products and accessories necessary for the mother and the child. This has developed a niche for dropshipping to step in. Itembraces an important market such as specializing inproducts for children and mothers. Covering a fundamental phase in the lives of many women who need constant care and attention, this niche is quite profitable one.
Sportswear – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Therefore, Sports and Entertainment are a mandate for all.
Sportswear for women alone is all set to become one of the most profitable dropshipping sub-niches and products in 2021.
In every house there is somebody who plays some kind of sport and requires some kind of sports equipment. Additionally, youngsters and adults prefer to play just for entertainment as well. Sports and Entertainment are placed at the fifth position in the list of top-selling products when it comes to dropshipping niches.
Therefore, Sports and Entertainment is an evergreen niche that includes the following products.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Sports and Entertainment niche
Running Shoes
Yoga Mats
Cycling glasses
Fishing Line
Head Bands
Sportswear
Where to get Sports and Entertainment Product for Dropshipping
DHgate
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Doba
Oberlo
Wholesale2b
Dropforyou
Brybelly.
Is Sports and Entertainment Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Sports-addicted people are eagerly waiting to bounce back with a big bang as soon as the COVID-induced absence of sports is mitigated. Home workouts are at boom and the sports industry is set for 6% growth heading into 2022.
Eco-friendly Products
Eco-friendly Products – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Selling Eco-friendly products has been one of the most intriguing latest trends with growing environmental conscience among people. Buyers are becoming more and more educated and conscious about their environment. Pandemic has also taught us a lot about preservation of the environment.
Eco-Friendly Products can be used in daily life and consumers are searching for products that would comply with the sustainable lifestyle that they are adopting.
Eco-friendly products can be a good option in this era as these products help in preserving our mother earth and are also gaining popularity. This is also commonly termed ‘green dropshipping’.
Our daily shopping activities have a huge influence on the Environment.
Understanding this, you can switch to eco-friendly items eventually by taking buying decisions a little more cautiously.
The eco-friendly niche was very low rated about 5 to 10 years ago, but today is regarded as the mainstream. 22% of the total sales belong to the eco-friendly niche presently which is expected to rise 3% by 2022. As per the forecast of the U.S sustainability market, it is expected to reach $150 Billion in sales in 2021.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Eco-friendly Niche
Solar-powered Toys
Outdoor LED String Lights
Eco-Friendly water bottle
Reusable shopping bag
Reusable straws
Silicone baking mat
Reusable food wrap
Stainless bottle
Biodegradable trash bags
Wooden cutlery
Rechargeable batteries
Beeswax cotton wrap
Where to Get Eco-friendly items for Dropshipping
Jungle Culture.
Green Bear UK.
Honest Green eSolutions.
Green Dropship.
Bangalla.
Oberlo.
Worldwide Brands.
Wholesale 2B
Is Eco friendly products niche still profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
The inclination for recycling, waste reducing and item reusing is at its boom. If you too support the idea of living an eco-friendly life and want to work with a like-minded target audience, you can consider this immensely profitable business idea.
pet supplies- Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Pet owners want their pets to be safe, healthy, physically active and entertained. By choosing to sell pet supplies; you will enter a highly promising niche market. Reports say that pet supplies are a steady or evergreen niche.
As per the American Pet Products Association, Americans spend around $55.72 billions on pets annually. On average, a pet store makes about $400,000 in sales per year.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Pet Supplies niche
LED Collar
Pet Bed
Pet Toys
Waterproof Mat
Water Fountain
Where to get Pet Supplies Items for Dropshipping
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Doba
Oberlo
Wholesale2b
Brybelly
WorldWide Brands
Wholesale Central
Is Pet Supplies Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
The question of the well-being and entertainment of pets is of paramount importance for their owners. Online shopping for pets is a more affordable and preferable alternative for these people to buy these items. With more and more people wanting to keep a furry friend with them, more is the demand for pet supplies.
Luggage and Bags
Travel Bags – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Everybody loves to explore new places. A handbag and luggage are necessary for such people. The luggage and baggage industry operates on a very big scale and is one of the fastest-growing industries. People love national and international travel. People prefer to travel in style, and that’s when bags and luggage niche comes into the light.
The figure of travelers tend to reach the peak every year with a record of about 1.4 billion international tourist visits.
People are now all set to travel to places they had planned to explore earlier but could not due to the COVID outbreak. Therefore, this niche is likely to experience a boom in the upcoming year.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Luggage and Bags niche
Fashionable handbags
Shoulder Bags
Laptop Bags
Anti-theft bags
Travel bags
Suitcase
Trolley Bags
Purses and handbags
Where to Get Luggage and Bags for Dropshipping
Bagggs.com
BrandsGateway
AzureGreen
Tmart
AliExpress
Oberlo
Are Luggage and Bags still profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
One thing that we need to understand is that it’s the entrepreneur, who runs the niche, makes it profitable and not the category itself. If you possess knowledge, experience, and passion in this niche, you can make it successful.
Food and Drink
Food and Drinks – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Taste buds tend to crave delicious food items and drinks.
The food and drink niche is an evergreen niche that is likely to offer the ideal 2021 dropshipping niche every year. The profit potential is likely to increase greatly. You can get about 20 – 40% from sales if you build alliances with people growing organic food.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Food and Drink niche
Coffee beans
Plastic containers
Spice jars
Cake molds
Organic food
Healthy drinks
Beverages
Where to get Food and Drinks for Dropshipping
Barilla
Benedetto Cavalieri
Felicetti
De Cecco
Voiello
Garofalo
Divella
Amadori
AliExpress
Is Food and Drinks Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Eating and drinking are basic needs of all, which means people buy and always will buy food no matter what. Therefore, Food and Drinks being an evergreen niche is always going to be a profitable one.
Cell Phones and accessories
cell phone and accessories – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
The cell phone and accessories niche does not need much introduction.
The cell phone and accessories niche had projected 3.5 billion mobile users by the end of 2020 and has been growing to reach around 3.8 billion by the end of 2021, which means that the potential for the cell phone niche is gigantic. Many drop shippers have been successful with smart innovations in this niche as it is full of opportunities.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Cell Phones and Accessories niche
Tripods
Waterproof cases
Mobile game controllers
Chargers
Phone Screen Magnifiers
Where to Get Cell Phones and Accessories for Dropshipping
Oberlo
SaleHoo
AliExpress
Shopify
BigCommerce
Is Cell Phones and accessories Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Cell phones are one of the most widely used gadget in the society. The low-cost phone markets and sub $200 smartphones make up over 40% of the yearly cell phone market. With new launches coming everyday, this niche has been growing nonstop. Given proper time and resources, this niche is going to be highly rewarding in 2021-2022.
Security and Protection
Security and Protection products – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Everyone wishes for a safer and secure home environment. Unlike the past, now, everyone finds it beneficial to buy various items of security and protection that enhances comfort in homes.
Home security and protection products are accessible and affordable to all. It has become very easy to buy and install any kind of home security and protection item.
This niche, with the advent of technology, has made home security and protection more effective and can make you profits in your dropshipping business.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Security and Protection niche
Smart Doorbells
Surveillance cameras
Surveillance systems
Surveillance accessories
Baby monitors
Security alarms and sensors
Smart doorbells
Where to get Security and Protection Products for Dropshipping
AliExpress
Cutting Edge Products
Mini Gadgets
Olympia Sports
Safety Technology
Is Security and Protection Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Home security products are getting more and more admired by people. The market is seen to be growing annually, which depicts that you have a chance to establish a profitable dropshipping business selling security and protection products.
Digital book – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Digital Products is a vast and still developing niche. It has a lot of scope in the present scenario. With people preferring to switch to paperless, digital products are the reason.
E-commerce through dropshipping is not limited to the selling of tangible products only. Businesses can choose to establish a digital store to sell digital products that are capturing a fair share in the market.
Steps to choose the sub-niche or which digital products to sell are:
Brainstorming
Research
Validation
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Digital Products niche
Is Digital Product Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Digital products have a vast profit margin. You simply need to showcase your skill, create it and sell it. This is becoming an even more demanding niche day by day.
Furniture
Furniture – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
The furniture and appliances niche has generated a massive $362,904 million revenue by 2021. These figures can be ignored by none. Furthermore, the profit margin in this niche is extremely good.
If you no longer wish to deal with regular low-priced products, you can switch to join the squad of furniture drop shippers.
If you wish to offer furniture and appliances products, you can consider these top dropshipping suppliers of the “Furniture and Appliances” category.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Furniture niche
Home furniture
Office furniture
Children furniture
Outdoor furniture
Foldable and Portable Laptop Desk
Commercial furniture
Café furniture
Bar furniture
Furniture accessories and parts
Where to Get Furniture Products for Dropshipping
Artisan Furniture
ModLoft
Wholesale Interiors
ModMade
VIG Furniture
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Is Furniture still a Profitable niche for Dropshipping in 2021?
Reports say that the dropshipping furniture business nearly makes $26,000 net profit per month.
Cozy home products – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Some people want their homes to be cute, adorable, and pastel colored, while others dream of a classic apartment. Well, why not?
Whatever styles you prefer, you want your home to be conveniently adapted for all the elements of your daily routine. Not only you, but thousands of other people in the world have the same opinion!
The industry involved in selling products that make your house cozy and add comfort is one of the highest profit-promising industries today. The profit margin ranges from 20% to 40 % depending upon the price of the products offered.
Buying cozy home elements is a step aside from home décor that focuses on creating the best possible environment to support your clients.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Cozy Home Elements niche
Humidifier
Alarm clock
Vacuum storage bags
Cupboard hangers
Laundry bags
Retro metal plates
Where to Get Cozy Home Elements for Dropshipping
Aliexpress
Oberlo
EPROLO
VidaXL
Wholesale Central
Tmart
Is Cozy Home Elements Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
These days people are more committed to buy comfort for themselves than ever. This makes it a profitable niche. Today, when they are locked in their homes a particular target market is trying to sell all those comfy items. This niche is at the height of being profitable than ever before. You simply need to identify them and convert the viewers into consumers.
Print-on-demand Products
Customized printed products – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Print on Demand is an online business niche where you are free to create and sell your custom designs printed on various items.
You don’t need to create, store nor ship your products. All of this will be done for you by a dropshipping company.
It is one of a few businesses that demand a very low amount of budget to start with.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Print-on-demand niche
T-Shirt
Mugs
Hoodies
Towels
Notebooks
Phone Covers
Stickers
Stationery
Prints
Bags
Where to Get Print-on-demand Products for Dropshipping
Printful
Printify
CustomCat
SPOD
T-Pop
JetPrint
Teelaunch
Gelato
Gooten
Printy6
Is Print-on-demand Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
The Print on Demand niche is an extremely profitable niche and a great way to begin your ecommerce journey. However, the profitability is based on various factors including marketing strategy, designing skills, etc. Its profitability is sure for those who love designing and selling things online.
Weddings and Events
Wedding Accessories – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Party supplies with a major focus upon the wedding and event niche products are a good niche to choose. People buy such products with excitement and happiness. They want to purchase the best for them at any cost.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Weddings and Events niche
Wedding Accessories
Wedding Jewelry
Bridal dress
Where to get Weddings and Events Products for Dropshipping
DHgate
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Are Weddings and Events Niche still profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Looking good is the prime objective of all, especially when they attend a wedding or any other event. It is an evergreen niche which gets its sale even more boosted in a particular phase of the year.
Footwear
Footwear Products – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
As long as people continue to walk, there will continue to be a gigantic market for shoes. The online shoe sales industry in the US alone has developed by 10.4% over the past five years to $14 billion.
Fashionable and comfortable footwears are the need and preferable by all.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Foot Wears niche
Shoes
Heals
Boots
Sneakers
Furry Slides
Where to Get Foot Wear Products for Dropshipping
Tmart
DHgate
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Doba
Oberlo
Nordstorm
Is Foot Wears Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Footwear sales have been increasing, and dropshipping allows you to jump into the market sooner without needing to wait for inventory to arrive and hence is the profitable niche of all times.
Traveling Supplies
Travel Essentials – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
There is no better time than now to begin dropshipping travel products. The travel industry is a billion-dollar industry.
It is an evergreen niche which means it will always be trending.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Traveling Supplies niche
Travel Pillows
Universal Power Adapters
Travel Backpacks
Travel Document Holder
Helmets
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Luggage Locks
Neck Wallet
Where to Get Traveling Supplies for Dropshipping
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Is Traveling Supplies Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Traveling supplies has always been a trending niche that is great for a successful dropshipping business launch.
Power Tools
Power tools – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Power tools have been consistently in demand during the past five years. This niche tends to gain heights during the BFCM season also. That’s why it has been on the list of best dropshipping niches to consider in 2021.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Power Tools niche
Drills
Drill bits
Saws
Soldering irons
Rotary tool
Trimmers
Where to Get Products in Power Tools Niche for Dropshipping
AliExpress
Salehoo
Is Power Tools Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
You can earn money by selling in-demand power tool products and everyday accessory products more through your drop-shipping store or online retail store.
Online power tools stores have an immense potential to bring profit for you with over 246,000 people searching for tools and accessories and related products online each month.
Gifts
Gifts – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Gifts make special days even more specials. Gifts make special people feel they are special. The trend of giving and taking gifts is at boom. The gifts industry is expected to be worth $77 billion by 2022. Gifts add extra smiles on happy occasions ranging from birthdays, weddings, holidays, festivals, etc.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Gifts Niche
Christmas presents
Halloween gifts
Mother’s day gifts
Valentine’s Day Gifts
Custom products
Souvenirs
Birthday cake toppers
Gift wrapping supplies
Balloons
Where to Get Gifts for Dropshipping
SaleHoo
Tmart
Oberlo
AliExpress
Is Gifts Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Items in that colorful gift wrap are always in trend. Gift shop business is booming and thus, no question of this niche being not profitable arises in any case.
Sanitary & Hygiene
Hygiene Products – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
The spike in demand for sanitation and hygiene has been unprecedented in 2020 due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines regarding health and safety are a mandate to be followed all over the world. People require people to maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene to help combat the coronavirus disease, making this product the need of the hour!
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Sanitary & Hygiene niche
Masks
Sanitizers
Mops
Vacuum
Where to Get Sanitary & Hygiene Products for Dropshipping
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Is Sanitary & Hygiene Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
The pandemic has made sanitization one of the top trending dropshipping niches that you can choose to take up with the right marketing.
Books
Books Dropshipping – Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
Ebooks are readily available, there is still nothing that stands in comparison with the experience of holding and reading a real book.
The book industry sees about a 1.3% rise in sales, with 696 million books sold yearly. Physical books are always in demand and can ever be replaced by ebooks.
Types of Books to Sell for Dropshipping
Art & Design
Zen Mandala Colouring book
Stress relief coloring book for children and adults
Fiction
Cartoon & Comic
Education
Dictionary
Literature & Biography
Science Technology
Economy & Finance
Travel
Humanities
Parenting
Cooking
Where to Get Books for Dropshipping
SaleHoo
AliExpress
Oberlo
Are Books Dropshipping Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Book lovers are a lot in number. You just need to identify your target market and there you go! Book niche is one of the evergreen niches and is ever profitable.
Bathroom accessories- Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
The bathroom accessories niche is included in the list of the most profitable niches with low competition. In recent years, this group of products has witnessed great traffic.
As per the Google trends, the interest in bathroom accessories is increasing quickly enough.
It is likely to continue to be profitable in terms of dropshipping.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Bathroom Accessories niche
Toilet brush
Toothpaste dispenser
Soap cases
Corner shelves
Where to Get Bathroom Accessories for Dropshipping
AliExpress
Oberlo
SaleHoo
Is Bathroom Accessories Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
According to Google, this keyword has a global search volume that amounts to more than 50K. It means that if you wish to step in for your online business, this product category can be a good option.
Stress Relievers
Stress reliever products- Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
If you want to gain profit, you need to take care of your products. Provide them items that prove to be value for money. The pandemic era has increased stress in the minds of people. Therefore, this unique niche can be of great help in this difficult time.
Consider selling stress relief products and other products that give relaxation to the mind.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Stress Relievers Niche
Head massage tools
Neck massage pillows
Feet massage tools
Wooden massage tools
Acupuncture finger rings
Face rollers
Anti-stress fidget toys
Fidget pads
Magic cubes
3D puzzles
Worry beads
Slimes
Assorted squeeze toys
Squishy toy balls
Squeeze grape balls
Squishy keychain
Where to Get Stress Relievers products for Dropshipping
Is Stress Relievers Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
While operating in a stress management niche, you’re not just being a socially responsible entrepreneur but also get to earn profit along with blessings.
Google keyword research data says that stress relief is one of the most searched keywords of today’s scenario, which makes this niche a profitable one.
Office Supplies
Office supplies dropshipping- Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
The COVID-19 outbreak has made our home office as well. Billions have unwillingly been a witness to how various fundamental aspects of human life have and are still being changed. Analysts have observed a sharp increase in demand for home office equipment.
Therefore, it is a good idea to opt for this niche for your customers.
Dropshipping Products to Sell under Office Supplies Niche
Stationery Case
Desk Lamp
Tripods
Computer stands
Waist cushion
Notepads
Where to Get in Office Supplies Niche for Dropshipping
Chinabrands
Wholesale Central
eSources
Wholesale2b
Aliexpress
Oberlo
SaleHoo
Is Office Supplies Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
Work-from-home is now in trend since 2020 and is still increasing steadily. This is due to certain limitations governments have imposed, and the entire epidemiological situation as many people are even afraid of leaving their homes now.
All these consequences make this niche incredibly profitable.
Industrial Equipment
Industrial Equipments dropshipping- Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
People prefer to buy online rather than going to markets and spending their time there. This niche is an emerging niche for e-commerce that has a lot of scopes. People get to compare easily on their mobile phones to find which one is better.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in Industrial Equipments Niche
Ground Engaging Tools
Crushing and screening parts
Hardox plate steel
Where to Get Industrial Equipments Niche Products for Dropshipping
Dropship Zone
Oberlo
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Brybelly
Is Industrial Equipment Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
As the Industrial Equipment industry is growing at a higher rate, it is found that this niche is listed on top of the list of categories served by Dropshipping companies and is profitable if chosen.
At-Home Bars
Bar products dropshipping- Most Profitable Niches for Dropshipping
There are a few dropshipping niche ideas that have the potential to surprise you. At-home bars are one of them. People believe in bringing bars at home who do not wish to go there.
People who have handsome income and sufficient space at home are now preferring to build at-home bars or buy affordable at-home bar equipment to feel the similar atmosphere.
Dropshipping Products to Sell in At-Home Bar Niche
Wine glasses
Bar accessories
Where to Get At-Home Bar Niche Products for Dropshipping
AliExpress
SaleHoo
Oberlo
Is At-Home Bar Niche Still Profitable for Dropshipping in 2021?
The at-home bar niche is a combination of fun and practicality. With the selection of the right target market, this niche is a profitable one in years to come.
How to Choose the Most Profitable Dropshipping Niche for You?
Every product you consider to sell at your online dropshipping store must be part of the checklist that says ‘is there a market for it?’ or ‘How would it help my customer?’ or ‘Will customers buy it repeatedly?’
Here is all about how to choose the most profitable dropshipping niche for you-
Identify whether the niche is either trendy or an evergreen niche. For this, you need to analyze the previous high selling categories and check in what niche are the drop shippers making the most money.
Find the niche with a nominal amount of competition.
Ensure that the niche consists of repeatedly buying products. It’s a rule that returning customers make up 8% of your customer base alone and they contribute over 40% to the revenue of your store and are the major source of recurring revenue for the future.
The niche you choose must have good market potential.
Following is the Data as per the Statistics Acquired from AliDropship-
It is interesting to note that the rule of being specific to a niche exists in dropshipping as well.
Over 86% of drop shippers registered on AliDropship favor a niche store over a general store.
Only 14% of the drop shippers are the general niche store owners.
List of Top Dropshipping Companies
Dropshiiping Companies
The sellers must be aware of various aspects of dropshipping and most importantly about the top best dropshipping suppliers for your online store.
To find out the best dropshipping suppliers among a list of them, for your online store, you must ensure the following points:
Research the various dropshipping companies
Contact the relevant suppliers as per your research
Order samples for you first so that you can develop trust in them
Also order from a few competitors
Examine the quality of the product
Finally, select the appropriate supplier for your business
List of Top Dropshipping Companies
Spocket
AliExpress
Suppliersdata
SaleHoo
Doba
Wholesale2B
Worldwide Brands
Wholesale Central
Sunrise Wholesale
MegaGoods
InventorySource
National Dropshippers
Dropshipper.com
OfficeCrave.com
Conclusion
You can make money by employing a variety of methods, but nothing beats e-commerce, specifically dropshipping especially in today’s digital landscape.
The pandemic era has taught everybody that e-commerce is where the world is heading. People are turning more and more to their computers for remote work, shopping, etc. To find the best dropshipping niches and products in 2021 is the most important part for any entrepreneur.
Dropshipping has gained attraction as it needs a limited amount of money and negligible risk factors. The only condition is that your business might take some time to make significant money.
The various advantages that the dropshipping business model offers gives a tough competition to its alternatives.
FAQs
Which niche is best for dropshipping?
Some of the best niche for dropshipping are:
Health and Fitness
Beauty and Skincare
Jewelry
Art and Craft Supplies
Electronic Gadgets and Accessories
Kitchen Supplies
Home Décor and Home Organization
Clothing
Sports and Entertainment
Pet Supplies
Food and Drink
Furniture
Footwear
Gifts
Books
Is dropshipping still profitable in 2021?
Yes. Dropshipping is quite profitable in 2021 as the number of ecommerce activities around the world is growing at high pace.
After 15 years of ownership, the German footwear giant Adidas sold Reebok to Authentic Brand Group in August 2021. Authentic Brand Group reportedly paid Adidas over $2.5 billion to acquire the company. The rumours of Adidas separating from Reebok were going around from past the mid of 2020, the company later confirmed its plans to sell the Reebok brand on February 16th, 2021.
The German conglomerate first acquired the company in 2006 for $3.8 billion, as it wanted to compete with its rival Nike. Over the years Reebok tried to position itself among the top athletic footwear and apparel companies with high profile partnerships in UFC and Crossfit.
But after the current losses and the stores shutting down due to Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 and after many failed efforts to grow the company, Adidas finally decided to let go of Reebok. Adidas will now focus on its own brand and try to improve it in order to compete with Nike in the North American markets.
Before getting into losses Reebok was well known for its footwear and clothing designed especially for Fitness and running. The company initially became a part of the J.W Foster and Sons company in 1958. It was founded first in 1895 in Bolton, Lancashire, Great Britain as a sporting goods company.
The company has its headquarters based in Boston Massachusetts and is the official sponsor of Crossfit and Spartan Race for footwear and apparel. Reebok is currently the subsidiary of Authentic Brands Group in August 2021 but before that, the company was a subsidiary of Adidas from the year 2005 to 2021.
Adidas first acquired the company in 2005 after its intellectual property lawsuit and in an effort to take on Nike. Adidas reportedly spent over $3.8 billion to acquire Reebok. It then made Reebok the official uniform supplier for the NBA in 2006 which came alongside an 11-year deal, which made Reebok popular during those times.
Reebok has reportedly gone through tough times and financial struggles, for over a decade Adidas made numerous attempts to revive the brand and improve its performance but failed.
Besides that, Reebok was also facing problems with trends for sports clothing and athleisure because of the stiff competition. The Covid 19 Pandemic had also brought down the sales of Reebok, as in November 2020 Reebok sales fell over 20% in the durations of nine months.
Net sales of the Reebok brand worldwide
During the lockdown, Reebok had to shut down numerous stores as it went under huge losses. In Britain, Footwear companies like Dr Marten and Birkenstock have seen an increase in sales as they promoting comfortable footwear products during the times where everyone is working from home.
During the first few years of the Adidas and Reebok partnership, Reebok constituted over a quarter of Adidas’s total revenue, but in 2020 Reebok only generated over 6.9% of its overall revenue.
During the press conference, Kasper Rorsted, the Chief Executive of Adidas said that, “After careful consideration, we have come to the conclusion that Reebok and Adidas will be able to significantly better realize their growth potential independently of each other. We will work diligently in the coming months to ensure a successful future for the Reebok brand and the team behind it.”
The German sportswear giant announced its plans to sell the Reebok brand on February 16th, 2021. After that Adidas shortlisted a number of potential buyers for the brand. The shortlisted companies include Wolverine World Wide, Authentic Brands Group, Advent International, CVC, Cerberus Capital and Sycamore Partners. The Authentic Brand Group came out on top and acquired Reebok by paying Adidas a sum of $2.5 billion.
For Adidas, selling Reebok will allow the company to reduce its distractions and focus more on its namesake brand as it needs to accelerate its momentum to match up to Nike.
Adidas is popular in some European countries but is weaker compared to Nike in other North American footwear and athleisure markets. Nike is known to be over three times bigger than Adidas in the North American market, this is why Adidas had to let go of Reebok.
Reebok is now the subsidiary of Authentic Brand Group which is a well-known conglomerate with over 30 brands in its portfolio. Brands like Juicy Couture, Forever 21, Barneys New York, JC Penney and Brooks brother are part of the multinational company. This is why many experts say that the Reeboks addition could be a major asset for the company.
ABG can help Reebok evolve in many categories of the brand and potentially make the company profitable again with unique methods. The consumers can now expect to see more retro style from Reebok being reintroduced in the near future as that is what the brand was known for. ABG will also help the company maintain its original DNA instead of building it from scratch and will continue investing in its marketing, products and people.
FAQ
When did Adidas acquire Reebok?
The German conglomerate first acquired the company in 2006 for $3.8 billion, as it wanted to compete with its rival Nike.
Who is the parent company of Reebok now?
The parent company of Reebok from August 2021 is Authentic Brand Group.
Why did Adidas sell Reebok?
After the current losses and the stores shutting down due to Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 and after many failed efforts to grow the company, Adidas finally decided to let go of Reebok.
What is Reebok?
Reebok is one of the top footwear companies and as it is well known for its footwear and clothing designed especially for Fitness and running.
Comfortable and stylish is the easiest way to describe the tremendous popularity of sneakers.
Sneakers took the internet by storm when top models and other Hollywood celebrities began wearing them. Puma, Adidas, and Nike were cult favorites. Airport looks were graced with eye-catching white sneakers which took the internet by storm.
In India also the footwear market was hugely dominated by these international brands only. Celebrities and models wore them all the time. But, as far as the common public is concerned, they seemed like a luxury they can’t afford.
But now made in India footwear brands are attracting more and more customers. Also, since these are locally made, they are easier on the pockets.
If you are looking for some cool Made in India Footwear brands, here we have a complete list for the same.
CEO & Founder: Afsar Zaidi Co-Owner: Hritik Roshan
Turnover: 200 crores
If you want to look super dashing like Hrithik Roshan, you might want to check out HRX. CEO and co-founder Afzar Zaidi along with brand ambassador and co-founder Hrithik Roshan have won hearts with their brand.
HRX deals in everything related to fitness and sports. Their great quality shoes are stylish and attractive. Whether it’s your causal OOTD or an outing scenario, adding these cool sneakers instantly elevates the look..
What’s striking about the brand is its price range. Their sneakers start from as low as 800 and can go up to 4000 so you can decide what you want.
Known for their strength, Woodland shoes have been here forever. This one of those old and charming sneaker brands made in India that you can trust.
Woodland motto is making tough shoes that last long.
Correct marketing strategies, as well as excellent craftsmanship, have taken the brand to amazing heights. If you need shoes that fit just right and support your feet on stones and difficult roads, this is what you should choose.
Woodland
RedChief
Founder: Manoj Gyanchandani Turnover: 324 crores
Red Chief is another sneaker brand made in India that’s been in the market for a long time. With Vicky Kaushal as the brand ambassador, Red Chief has upped its advertising game. Founded by Manoj Gyanchandi, Red Chief has grown to become a trusted brand among men.
Initially, they made formal shoes but now they’ve expanded their range to casual sneakers which are being loved by Indians.
Lakhani
Founder: K.C. Lakhani Turnover: 100-500 crores
Lakhani suffered a major setback due to the domination of international brands. But under Mayank Lakhani’s supervision, the brand got back onto its feet.
Lakhani makes shoes for everyone. You can find anything from traditional ‘chappals’ to sports shoes and formal shoes.
They’ve captured the Indian market by providing them what they really want, stylish, low-cost footwear that lasts long.
Paragon is the sneaker brand made in India that we used to associate with sliders and flip-flops only but they’ve grown immensely with time.
Yes, they make cool sneakers now. These sneakers can up your styling game on many levels. Colorful prints or formal black, they’ve got it all.
Sko
Founder: Nishant Kanodia
SKO is another sneaker brand that delivers top-class quality. This brand is more on the costlier side with sneakers ranging between 4000-6000. But they do not compromise on quality.
They choose trendy but neutral colors to make shoes blend in with the outfit. These are one of those shoes that are set right with whatever you wear them with.
FAQ
Is Adidas shoes made in India?
Major brand like Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Puma and Fila already manufacture their shoes in India.
Is Red Chief Indian brand?
Yes, Red chief is an Indian footwear brand that markets leather footwear.
Who is the owner of Red Chief?
Manoj Gyanchandani is the owner of Red Chief.
Conclusion
If you are someone who’s very particular about shoes, this is one of the sneaker brands made in India that you should try.
These were the top sneaker brands made in India that you can try. All of them trendy and worth your money. Also, it’s time you go ‘Vocal for Local’.
Footwear has always been considered an object of fashion. But people do not realize that feet form the foundation of your body. The foot is the 2nd most complex organ of the body after the brain and shoe is the most important piece of clothing. It is believed that Healthy Footwear is one of the most important parts of your Healthy Lifestyle apart from exercise, healthy food, sleep, and stress management.
Von Wellx Germany has been designed with the idea to create a footwear brand that focuses on fulfilling all the functions of the feet and footwear and still looked good.
Ashish Jain, the Founder of Von Wellx Germany, brought German technology to India and founded Iatric Industries in 2016 to deliver comfortable and medically-fit footwear. In around 4 years, the company has spread its wings to Sri Lanka, Dubai, and Qatar markets and is growing at 50 percent year-on-year.
Read this article to know about Von Wellx Germany, it’s products, how it was started, growth, startup challenges, Founder and future plans.
Von Wellx Germany is a footwear brand based on Internationally Patented German Technology – 5 Zones By Dr.Mauch across Men’s and Women’s Category. The company works with the vision to make people aware of the importance/functions of feet and healthy footwear and provide them the healthiest footwear without compromising on fashion.
It helps to provide the people relief from heel, feet, knee, back, and posture issues. Healthy Shoes helps avoid future foot, knee, back, and posture problems for you and energizes your feet for all-day activity without any tiredness, relieving your current issues.
“We have been seeing a very high number of people troubled with above problems since the early ’30s in their life. Technically bad footwear and not being able to stimulate your feet properly which earlier used to happen due to barefoot walking are major reasons for the same. It is extremely important to use footwear which helps your feet perform the original static, dynamic, and reflex functions of your feet so that you live a healthy life for a longer time. If you do not wake up now, you will suffer later.”, says Ashish Jain, CEO and Director of Von Wellx Germany – India.
Von Wellx Germany has been designed so that you can fulfill your foot functions as part of your normal lifestyle only. Dr.Mauch aptly calls it “The Gym in your Shoe.”
It shifting its entire shoe production of around 3 million pairs annually from China to India, with an initial investment of Rs. 110 crores. Thus, a new manufacturing unit will be set up in UP through a collaboration with Latric Industries Pvt Ltd.
India is the second-largest footwear producer in the world, with footwear production accounting for approximately 9 per cent of the global annual production – 22 billion pairs as compared to China, which produces over 60 per cent of the global production.
Footwear exports from India have grown at a CAGR of 20 per cent in Indian Rupee terms during the last five years. In absolute terms, footwear exports from India have risen from Rs. 71.5 billion in FY10 to Rs. 180.0 billion in FY15.
Industry – Premium Footwear (Leather and Non-Leather)
Target market size – Rs. 4,000 Crores
Target market share – 12%
Footwear Market Size – Rs. 40,000 crores
Next Five Years – CAGR of 11 %
Also ,we need to understand that the Healthy Footwear Category (Closest to Comfort Category) is a novel category that is in a blue field stage right now.
It is true that, the choice of footwear, both for men and women in India is always dominated by the fashion of the season. However recently, comfort has been the determining factor for the consumers in buying footwear. Going forward, comfort and health are going to be the first and most important criteria for consumer decision, especially beyond the age of 30 years.
It has been noted that the consumers especially after the 1st pregnancy of women and after crossing 30 years in men encounter more foot and body related problems and look for comfort and health as the topmost criteria.
The demography and changing buying behavior are triggering enhanced demand from the existing pie. Rising disposable incomes and new entrants into the workforce, especially women are pushing the domestic demand on the upside.
Women’s footwear constitutes only a 30 per cent market share currently. But the growth rate of this segment is double than of the men’s segment. Where the men’s footwear market has registered a 10 per cent CAGR growth rate in the last fiscal, it is 20 percent for the women’s segment. Also, it has increased the per capita consumption from 1.6 to 2.4 in the last 5 years.
So overall, there is a major transition to healthy and comfort category footwear in the coming years.
He is an IIM Alum. Post his studies, Ashish joined his 4 decade old family business of footwear that exports products to around 48 countries. After entering the business, Ashish researched the footwear market in India and was intrigued to find out why people were reluctant to understand why they needed good footwear.
“Healthy footwear adds to a healthy body” he says.
“We started by manufacturing in China to meet the supply chain of the Asian and Middle East countries. However, to further leverage the supply chain and boost the manufacturing set up we made a way to India further corroborating the Prime Minister’s speech for Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Ashish tells
Von Wellx – How was it started
The team made the following observations after their research into the area of footwear-
Footwear has always been considered an object of Fashion. But people do not realize that feet form the foundation of your body. Thus care is not taken for your feet and in choosing your footwear. APMA study found that 77% of Americans say they have experienced foot pain. Women are more vulnerable to foot problems and typically experience four times as many problems as men.
Secondly, people did not understand that the type of problems like heel, pain, knee, back and posture problems that they have today is dependent on your feet and footwear as the structure of the building is on the foundation.
Thirdly, most of the footwear designed today do not take care of the natural functions (static, dynamic, and reflex) of the feet, shock absorption function (Like Shock Absorbers of Cars, etc), and technical specs required but only focus on looks and fashion.
Fourthly, that people do not have the expertise to understand the technical correctness of the shoe.
Lastly, people nowadays are paying great attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but do not understand that a healthy shoe is one of the most important cogs in the wheel of a healthy lifestyle.
This led to the birth of the idea to create a footwear brand that focused on fulfilling all the functions of the feet and footwear and still looked good. They researched the best technologies available in this field and zeroed in on Dr. Walter Mauch’s 5 Zones based on the science of reflexology which took care of all the problems.
5 Zones Technology is patented and sold in over 80 countries across the globe and has over 100 million happy customers. They tested these shoes on a study group of 1,000 people across various states of India and noticed their results over 3 months. The results of the study were phenomenal and corroborated with the international results of this brand over the last 30 years.
The people who were under this study kept on coming back to ask for more 5 Zones shoes. From there on, it was a straight call to collaborate with this Brand and they decided to collaborate for India, Middle East, and some other Asian Countries. After rigorous multiple meetings with the German Company in Germany and Italy, Iatric Industries Pvt. Ltd. signed the exclusive contract for 20 years.
In earlier times, we used to walk barefoot a lot (8000 steps or more) daily on soft surfaces like grass, etc. which naturally stimulated nerve endings in feet and kept feet, knees, and back healthy by performing the static, dynamic and reflex functions of the feet. But now in reality, we walk less than 3000 steps daily on hard surfaces with wrong footwear that provide no stimulation, have hard soles & do not support the feet well. This destroys the natural connection of the feet with the body.
Dr. Med Walter Mauch, a very renowned German doctor for orthopedics, chirotherapy, sports medicine, and naturopathy developed this internationally patented 5 Zones based on the science of reflexology to solve these problems. The feet have nerve endings of all the organs of the body.
The footwear provides health benefits to the body like-
Energizes feet for 12+ hours standing (No tiredness) by Soft Massage, Muscle Relaxation
Exercises foot (Like Barefoot walking on Grass) by Increasing blood circulation
Relieves heel, knee and back pain, flat foot by providing correct support
Protects joints and muscles by absorbing the pressure coming on them
Corrects foot position and body posture by balancing muscles tension
Von Wellx – Products/Service
The company has both men’s and women’s shoes for the office, casual, party, ethnic, and wedding purposes for all age groups. They have all your needs covered. Footwear starts at Rs. 1,999 and goes up to Rs. 5,999 but most of the sandals are under Rs. 3,000.
Von Wellx footwear solve problems like-
Avoids Tired Feet after walking & standing,
Heel, Knee, and Back Pain.
Arthritis Feet pain, Diabetic Foot
Wear and tear of Knee and other joints due to shock/pressure
Von Wellx Germany footwear
Also, the shoes are technically correct due to special features like,
Special German lasts for correct foot position,
Long counters to keep the heel bone in place,
Double density shock absorb outsole,
Positive heel height/balanced soles,
Air pump system,
Anti-microbial/Anti-fungal layer,
Imported Stretch Materials for Swollen Feet,
Full-grain leather upper, lining and socks
Features of Von Wellx’s Shoes
Also they have a special Diabetic Range for preventing people from developing diabetic foot. Over 65% of Diabetic people in the US develop problems in their feet. Every 20 seconds, foot amputation occurs in the world. To avoid the same, we need to take the utmost care of our feet and footwear. Von Wellx’s Diabetes Series increases blood circulation to 5 most critical diabetes organs such as the pancreas, spleen, liver, kidneys, intestine, and improves their functioning. It also has additional features like a wide toe box, minimal stitches to avoid wounds, anti-fungal/bacterial lining, and stretch materials.
Dr. Umashankar Mohanty, President – Indian Association of Physiotherapists also said that gait and foot position is very important. If it is altered due to wrong shoe feet, knee, back pain, etc. will occur. Dr. Mohanty was very impressed with Von Wellx’s footwear and acknowledged that these shoes are scientifically developed and provide the necessary support and stimulation to avoid all these problems.
5 Zones Technology based on the science of Reflexology is internationally patented in over 80 countries. No copies can be made of the technology.
Invented by famous Dr. Walter Mauch after years of research.
More than 100 million happy customers are benefited by the same.
Uses Patented Material made in only 1 factory in Italy.
Research and Development for the product done in Germany to correct all technical problems in shoes but with special attention to Indian Fashion needs.
The first brand in India to make Healthy Shoes for a healthy lifestyle.
Von Wellx – Name, Tagline, Logo
The rationale behind the tagline was to make people realize that Healthy Shoes is one of the most important parts of your Healthy Lifestyle.
Von Wellx – Logo
The logo of the company is based on the inventor of 5 Zones – Dr.Mauch.
Von Wellx – Startup Launch
Von Wellx approached the biggest and most respected footwear retailer in the country Metro Shoes which has the best premium shoe retail network in the country. After seeing the revolutionary efficacy and effectiveness of the product, they straightforwardly decided to launch the product in their selected top stores. After seeing the results in 6 months, they decided to go ahead with a nationwide rollout in all their stores. The Year-of-Year(YoY) growth of the company is over 175%.
Internationally, they launched in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka through the country’s top chains like Lulu Retail, DSI Samson, etc. and the brand is performing phenomenally with over 120% YoY growth. They also export the brand from their company to parent company in Germany for their other markets in Europe, the US, etc.
The company’s top focus has been to make the first million customers try their shoes since their repeat buying customer ratio is extremely high. Once a customer wears it, it is very difficult for him/her to use another brand. The team has been employing innovative in-store branding to attract the customers along with digital marketing, traditional marketing channels, doctors conferences, exhibitions, and fitness expos.
The company has one of the highest customer retention ratios in the market and the lowest complaints ratio. The benefits that the customers feel after wearing their shoes and the quality and life of the shoe makes them want to come back to the brand automatically.
Von Wellx – Startup Challenges
The major challenge for the team is to make the customer buy the shoe for the first time. Also, some people think that it is a medical shoe and they do not need it since they do not have any problem.
These shoes are not medical shoes or just targeted at people with problems. These shoes promote good health of your feet, knees, and back so that you do not encounter the problems associated with them.
The company has tried to drive home this message by concentrating on the major customer touch-points like special in-store branding to explain it, training the salesmen with the knowledge so that they can pass it on to the consumer. They have got good results with the same. The team also ran digital campaigns and traditional marketing campaigns to drive home the message.
After a successful launch, Von Wellx is been looking to increase more awareness in the customers with opening exclusive brand outlets. Also they are increasing their distribution by adding Central stores, traditional distributors, and retailers.
The company is also bringing a special foot solution for kids in the next 6 months. They have a huge opportunity and responsibility ahead of them to create a new category of Healthy Footwear in the Indian Market. They are confident of achieving the same in the next 3 years and want all the people to lead an active and pain-free life without worrying about their feet.
It also aims to strengthen online presence through key partnerships. It is soon to launch a new range of washable footwear for the Indian market to counter the effects of COVID-19.
Von Wellx – Recognition and Achievements
The company’s biggest achievement has been the availability of the product across all prime locations at the top 100 Indian cities within a year of the launch.
They have a very high repeat customer rate and less than 0.1 % of returns/complaints which goes on to show that their customers are extremely satisfied and benefited by the product across ages, regions, etc.
Von Wellx has successfully introduced the concept of healthy footwear as a critical part of a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, they are happy to know that youngsters are loving the product as much as elders.
One of the interesting stories was when one of their customers went to her doctor, Dr. Nikhil Latey for a routine checkup. Dr. Latey, who is an Olympic doctor for the Indian team and has worked with famous stars like Mary Kom etc. noticed Von Wellx’s product and was extremely impressed with it. He got in touch with the company and advised the footwear to his patients.
Von Wellx – FAQs
Who is the owner of Von Wellx?
Casa Everz Gmbh is the owner/parent organisation of Germany-based footwear company, Von Wellx.
Who is Ashish Jain?
Ashish Jain is the Founder of Von Wellx Germany, a footwear brand based on Internationally Patented German Technology – 5 Zones By Dr.Mauch across Men’s and Women’s Category.
What is Von Wellx?
Von Wellx Germany is a footwear brand based on Internationally Patented German Technology – 5 Zones By Dr.Mauch across Men’s and Women’s Category. The company works with the vision to make people aware of the importance/functions of feet and healthy footwear and provide them the healthiest footwear without compromising on fashion.
